Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening to reiterate the demand for the Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh. The meeting lasted 45 minutes.
This is Mr. Jagan’s second meeting with Mr. Modi since coming to power with a thumping majority in May.
According to sources, the CM also raised three other issues. “He demanded that the power purchase agreements (PPAs) negotiated by the earlier government should be renegotiated. He asked for re-tendering of the Polavaram project. The previous government had accorded the tender to Navayuga construction firm. He reminded the Central government of revenue deficit,” a senior YSR Congress Party leader said.
Joint project
Vijayawada Special Correspondent adds:
Mr. Jagan submitted a detailed representation to the Prime Minister covering all the important issues, according to a press release from the Chief Minister’s Office here.
Mr. Jagan in the representation said several steps were being taken to rectify the disparities that emerged in development and in priorities in the past five years.
The Chief Minister explained that while there was a need to promote the use of clean energy, the State could not afford to do it because of the heavy burden imposed by the PPAs. The State government was due ₹20,000 crore to the power companies because of these faulty policies.
Mr. Jagan asked the Centre to help with a project to link the Godavari and Krishna rivers that was going to be taken up jointly by the A.P. and Telangana governments. At least ₹60,000 crore would be required for this project that would also take care of the drinking water needs of people till 2050.
The government had taken up several reforms to provide social security to the people and improve their living standards. Special focus was being given to providing basic amenities to people, transparency in administration and industrial growth.
A.P., which suffered severe losses at the time of bifurcation, needed ₹23,300 crore, for the development of seven backward districts — three in North Andhra and four in Rayalaseema.
Mr. Jagan also requested the Centre to support the ‘Navaratnalu’ agenda of his government which has at its heart the welfare of all sections, including farmers.