Centre has extended adequate help to Andhra: BJP

Visakhapatnam Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, K. Hari Babu on Sunday asserted that the Centre had extended adequate help to Andhra Pradesh.

Hailing the Union Budget, Hari Babu said, "Central Govt. has extended all the help that is to be given to Andhra Pradesh. We are happy with the budget. Nothing to criticize the Centre as far as the budget is concerned."

He also stressed that the Polavaram irrigation project, which had been accorded national project status, will be funded by the Centre and not the Union Budget.

"Under the AP Reorganisation Act. 2014, there are five institutions to be established within 10 years- a central university and a tribal university in the state. The Centre has provided us Rs. 10 crores for it. We will soon introduce a bill in the Parliament for this," Hari Babu said.

"Other three institutions like Dharmavaram and Kadapa steel plants and establishing Vizag railway zone are under consideration. We will fulfill the remaining issues within a short period of time," he added.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is apparently upset with the saffron party over the poor allocation for the state in the Union Budget 2018-19 that was presented on February 1 by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Naidu held a crucial meeting with the party MPs, senior MLAs and leaders in Amaravati earlier today. The meeting was reportedly called to review the party's ties with its ally BJP.