Hyderabad: The Central Government has announced special assistance of £100 million to Andhra Pradesh in the current financial year. Pound 35 million of the allotted money would be earmarked for the development of seven backward districts; three in north Coastal Andhra and four in Rayalaseema.
The announcement followed Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's two day visit to New Delhi where he met several Union Ministers and conveyed to them the need to provide liberal assistance to the state. Naidu said injustice was done to his region after bifurcation and the Central Government should provide the required handholding to the new state which now has to start from scratch. The funds sanctioned are in addition to Rs £440.3 million released in the last financial year. It included £35 million for seven backward districts, £230.3 million to bridge the resource gap, £150 million to create infrastructure facilities in the new capital and £25 million for Polavaram Project.
Union Finance Ministry, in statement said that the aid for the capital construction would also include construction of the Raj Bhavan, High Court, Secretariat, Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council and other essential infrastructure. Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Y Satyanarayana Chowdary expressed confidence that funds would be released within a week. He further said the Niti Ayog was positive to the state's release for grant of special category status and the Ayog's vice-chairman was in parley with different departments on the issue. He hopes for clarity on the issue before October 22.
