AP Assly slams Centre for 'careless attitude' over state Act

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly today passed a resolution, taking strong objection to the Centre's "careless attitude" in implementing the provisions of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
It demanded that the Centre take cognisance of the legal and 'just' demands of the state and act accordingly.
It also took a serious view of certain statements by 'those holding responsible posts at the Centre', that were mocking in nature.
The resolution, moved by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, was passed at the end of the more than four-hour long debate on the issue.
"This House takes strong objection and expresses serious protest over the Centre's attitude and delay in implementation of the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and also the promises made by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (in Rajya Sabha)," the resolution said.

It condemned the Centre's 'careless attitude' towards the state, saying the Centre has a responsibility towards the state, more so when the state was divided against the peoples wishes and 'left in the lurch.'

It demanded that the Centre extend 'handholding support' to Andhra Pradesh till it grows on par with other southern states.
"We are not asking anything that's not in the Act or the promises made by the then Prime Minister. The Centre should take cognisance of this fact," it added.
The House questioned why the Centre was not according special category status to Andhra Pradesh when tax discounts and other incentives were being extended to some other states.

The government noted that the Centre was supposed to extend financial assistance to build the states new capital city Amaravati, establish a steel plant, develop a new port, establish a new railway zone, increase the number of Assembly seats and open many educational and research institutions.
Division of the organisations listed in Schedules IX and X should also be done, the resolution said.
It said among the six promises the then Prime Minister made in the Rajya Sabha, the main ones were granting special category status,bridging the state's revenue gap (for 2014-15) and extending special assistance for backward districts on the lines of the Bundelkhand-Koraput-Kalahandi-Bolangir package.

"The Centre now says setting up a new railway zone is not possible and a steel plant not financially viable. It is raising objections to the port as well and dilly-dallying the issue."
Going by the amount of money being released, the educational institutes may not be complete even in 20 years.
There was no talk of increasing the number of Assembly seats (from 175 to 225), the resolution said.