Yanamala allays fears over special status to AP
RAJAHMUNDRY: Amid reports that the Planning Commission is not favourable to accord special category status to Andhra Pradesh, finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu has said that the commission has no say on the issue and can only give its opinion as it is the discretion of the National Development Council (NDC).
He said that the special category status has been approved by the Parliament itself during the passage of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.
The Planning Commission is learnt to have stated that Andhra Pradesh is not eligible for special category status as it does not meet the criteria mentioned by the National Development Council. The commission reportedly made it clear to Union planning minister Inderjit Singh Rao in a presentation at Delhi.
The Commission pointed out to the minister that any such proposal would have to be endorsed by the NDC headed by the Prime Minister with Cabinet ministers and all chief ministers on its board.
Reacting to the reports, Ramakrishnudu told newsmen here that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced that Andhra Pradesh would be given special category status in the Parliament.
'The present Prime Minister Narendra Modi also gave a commitment in this regard. The proposal cannot be stopped at this juncture and we want it to be extended from five years to 10 years,' he said.
News Posted: 14 June, 2014
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