Andhra CM meets Modi, seeks special category status and clearance of pending projects

Andhra CM meets Modi, seeks special category status and clearance of pending projects

New Delhi, Feb 9 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here and sought special category status for the state and clearance of pending projects.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) also tweeted about the meeting between Reddy and Modi.

Reddy, who swept the 2019 state polls riding on the issue of special category status, has held several meetings with the prime minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the issue in the past.

With the Congress gaining ground in Andhra Pradesh and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) likely to tie up with the BJP, sources said Reddy has rushed to the national capital to make a last-ditch effort.

“The chief minister discussed many issues related to the state… The CM asked to implement other guarantees including special status given at the time of division of the state,” the AP government said in a statement.

“The CM said that the special status is necessary for the economic progress of the state, not only will it attract investments but also create better employment opportunities,” it added.

The special category status is one of the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, which led to the formation of Telangana in June 2014.

Jagan was accompanied by senior YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha member V Vijayasai Reddy.

Among other issues raised in the meeting were immediate approval of Rs 17,144 crore for early completion of the first phase of the Polavaram Irrigation Project; support for 17 new medical colleges; approval of the Visakhapatnam Metro Rail project and clearance of electricity dues of Rs 7,230 crore from Telangana.

The CM also sought adequate support for the 55 km six-lane road project proposed to connect Visakhapatnam with Bhogapuram International Airport as well as extension of the Visakhapatnam-Kurnool High Speed Corridor to Bangalore via Kadapa.

He also requested the Centre to take up the new railway line project from Kadapa-Pulivendula- Mudigubba-Sathya Sai Prashanthi Nilayam to Hindupur saying it provides good connectivity to the backward Rayalaseema area, the statement added.

Reddy’s visit to the national capital comes days after TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu met Shah and BJP president J P Nadda for talks on possible tie up with the saffron party in Andhra Pradesh for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the state.

The general and state assembly polls are likely to be held simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh before May.