Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandra Babu Naidu has requested the Centre to provide liberal financial assistance to the State including bridging the non-plan revenue gap, extension of fiscal incentives for economic development and special development package for the State.
During his two-day tour of Delhi, he met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers and sought financial support to the new capital city, sanction of Rs 5,000 crore so far invested by the State on Polavaram project and additional amount of Rs 1,330 crore for sustainable rehabilitation of infrastructure destroyed by Hudhud cyclone.
Listing the priorities of the AP Government, Naidu said financial and developmental agenda was a domineering part of his campaign.
He refuted the arguments that the Centre was either not forthcoming in helping the State with Special Category Status and package schemes or that he was not applying the right kind of pressure on the Centre. TDP was part of the NDA and a friendly party of the BJP and hence there was no question of arguing or fighting with it.
He highlighted the financial problems faced by the State Government during his talks with the PM and the FM and sought a lenient view in view of the problems being faced by AP due to the mismanaged bifurcation process.
Naidu said while interlinking of rivers was crucial, development of smart cities on the lines of Delhi-Mumbai corridor programme was also essential for the growth of AP. He said the State capital was being envisaged with great care and a futuristic vision and land acquisition was going on accordingly.