Spl status, capital city issues to figure in AP Assembly

The demand for according special category status, other promises made to Andhra Pradesh during its bifurcation, and construction of a new capital city are among the issues that are likely to figure prominently during the monsoon session of Assembly beginning here tomorrow.

The deficit rainfall in the state, which affected crops and the ongoing irrigation projects would be among other major issues expected to come up for debate during the session, which is expected to last about a week.

Governor ESL Narasimhan issued a notification last week for the Assembly session from August 31.

The Opposition YSR Congress held a statewide bandh yesterday over the delay in according special status to the state. YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said the party would take up the issue during the Assembly session.

The promise of special status, in addition to several other benefits, was made to AP by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament during its bifurcation last year.

Alleging that the NDA allies - BJP and TDP - have failed to implement the promises in the last 15 months since they assumed office, the YSR Congress, Congress and other parties have hit the streets.

Supported by the Congress and others, the CPI organised a shut down earlier this month and the protests are only likely to continue in the days to come.

Under attack from the Opposition, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union Ministers last week and placed the demands for special status, a development package better than the 'Bundelkhand package', construction of multi-purpose Polavaram irrigation project (which has been given national status) and assistance to develop the capital city, among others.

The Prime Minister had directed NITI Ayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya to work on the issue and prepare a road map.

The process of gathering land for development of the state's capital city in the Vijayawada-Guntur region would also come up prominently in the Assembly session, though the state government claimed that it had already pooled more than 33,000 acres under its 'Land Pooling Scheme'.

The scheme offers share in developed land to farmers, among other benefits.