A day after AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and requested him to ‘soften’ PM Modi’s ‘heart’ on Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh, Jagan has reiterated his demand of Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh at NITI Aayog meet.
Jagan, who attended the Fifth Governing Council of NITI Aayog at New Delhi attended by Prime Minister Modi and Chief Ministers of other states, said the Special Category Status as an “essential lifeline” for Andhra Pradesh. “It is disheartening when we hear several rumours and excuses for not granting special category status,” Jagan said.
On “widely rumoured argument” that few other states may demand SCS if it is granted to Andhra Pradesh, Jagan said, “In the history of this country no other state was bifurcated with a pre-condition that special category status would be accorded to compensate the economic and financial hardships such bifurcation would entail, which was supported by both ruling and opposition parties that had representatives from all the states.”
Giving a political turn to NITI Aayog meeting, AP CM Jagan has criticised the previous TDP government led by Chandrababu Naidu for “mis-governance and institutionalising corruption”.
“Mis-governance and institutionalised corruption coupled with lack of sincerity during the past five years have left the state with high unemployment amongst youth, lack of investment in infrastructure and industry, a sharp deterioration of public education and health system and empty coffers,’ he said.
