Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on Monday said some of the difficulties faced by the State stood unresolved to this day and its suffering was compounded by issues including revenue deficit, skewed income, asset distribution and the lack of R&D institutions.
In his address to the joint legislature of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Narasimhan said the government has made rigorous and untiring efforts during the last three years and nine months to get various issues resolved and was reiterating the people’s demand to expedite the fulfillment of all provisions of the A.P. Reorganization Act (APRA) and assurances given in relation to it, including according Special Category Status (SCS).
Mr. NArasimhan, who is also the Governor of Telangana, observed that the bifurcation has created many difficulties as the State was left without a capital and it was deprived of a major economic hub (Hyderabad).
“Assets were allocated to the two successor States on the basis of their geographical location, debt liabilities were distributed commensurate with the population and income on the basis of the geographical location of the sources (of income),” Mr. Narasimhan said.
This resulted in 58% of the population of Andhra Pradesh getting 46% of the estimated combined State revenues. Power generation was allocated on the basis of the consumption pattern that existed at the time of division, he stated.
Mr. Narasimhan went on to give a detailed account of the development and welfare programs undertaken by the government and stated that the development of Amaravati startup area would begin in the current year under the aegis of the Singapore consortium.
