New Delhi/Hyderabad : Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday assured TDP MPs from Andhra Pradesh that the central government will “very shortly” announce new measures to help the revenue-deficit state.
Jaitley assured the delegation of MPs that the Narendra Modi government will walk an extra mile to help the state, though it may not give the special category status, reports IANS.
The MPs, including central minister Y. S. Chowdary met Jaitley in the national capital to seek immediate steps to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh as per the commitment given by the central government while dividing the state. “We are examining the possibility particularly after the 14th Finance Commission,” Jaitley said in an apparent reference to the commission doing away with special status to any state.
“One thing is absolutely clear that irrespective of whatever name (it is) called, a special assistance has to be given continuously for next few years to the state of Andhra Pradesh. It will not be in any way less than what the state’s needs are and what is being expected,” he said.
“It will be more than a normal special assistance which is given to a state. It will be in terms of revenue assistance, in terms of covering up revenue shortfall, it will be for helping in building the state capital and also by allocating several new projects. Some projects have already been given. We have to walk an extra mile as far as helping the state is concerned,” he added. Chowdary told later that Jaitley promised that an announcement will be made by month-end. He said the central government was working on a package which will be a combination of both the industrial incentives package and a special status package. MP J.C. Diwakar Reddy said the state would get all the incentives given under special status. “They have some legal and technical problems in calling it a special status,” he said.
