Andhra govt expects Centre's support

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy is expecting the Centre to extend financial support to some of the major welfare and development programmes undertaken by the state government.

Keeping this in view, the state government is contemplating to seek national status to two major irrigation projects, Polavaram and Pranahitha, so that the Centre would share a part of the expenditure involved in executing them, Reddy said at a "meet the press programme" organised by the Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) here on Thursday.

In an hour-long interaction with the media, his first after assuming office for the second term, the chief minister admitted that the state was going through a tight financial situation.

Nevertheless, Reddy said his government would continue what it was doing during his last term with more focus as “welfare and development are our two eyes.” He was hopeful that his 'Jalyagnam' programme, involving construction of various irrigation projects, would be completed in the next five years.

However, apart from continuing the ongoing programme, the chief minister does not envisage any major schemes that would be taken up during his second term.

“People have given the mandate to us accepting whatever we are doing in the last five years. We will continue to do this. We have not proposed any major programmes,” he said.

Replying to a question, Reddy announced re-appointment of SSP Yadav as director general of police (DGP) in place of A K Mohanty. The Election Commission had removed Yadav as the DGP and appointed Mohanty in his place as the former showered praise on Reddy after the announcement of the election schedule.

He said that as a single party, Congress got more seats than other parties in the Telangana region and attention would be paid to the aspirations of the Telangana people. "We will address all the development needs of Telangana”, he added.

Earlier, APUWJ, Press Club of Hyderabad and Prajatantra Telugu daily contributed Rs 10,000 each to the CM's Relief Fund. In response to a request made by journalists, the chief minister agreed to renovate APUWJ auditorium and construct a new building for the Press Club.