Naidu turns a busy bee in Delhi tour

New Delhi, Jan 16 (INN): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu wrapped up his busy two-day schedule of New Delhi tour with about a dozen engagements making a pitch at the economic summit organized by the ET group with his Vision-2029 for the development of the State.

Naidu's '7 Missions/5 Grids/5 Campaign Modes' found a place in it and the upcoming world class capital and smart cities were centric to his presentation. Conjoining his developmental vision with that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Naidu said both of them had one grand vision of the country and the State and the roles would be playing in the economic uplift of the country.

Naidu said he would pursue his developmental agenda at the Davos meet too earlier addressing a press conference after meeting the Union Ministers.

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.

He said the 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. If any help is given to the State in any form, the credit would naturally go to the Centre too and there was no need to crib for the same, he said.

The Chief Minister said he had sought greater assistance from the Finance Ministry in the reconstruction of Visakhapatnam that was affected by the Hud Hud cyclone and also sought reimbursement of Rs.5,000 crore spent so far on the Polavaram project by the State Government as the latter was taken over by the Centre as a national project.

He said he detailed the financial problems faced by the state Government in 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.

His interactions with the Singapore and Japanese authorities and governments for assistance and guidance in developing the State capital would yield the right kind of fruits and there should be no doubt. Delays were inevitable because of certain policy issues and implementation compulsions, but it did not mean any set-back or undue delays.

During the visit to Delhi on 15 and 16th January, Naidu held extensive discussions with the Prime Minister and several key Union Ministers on a wide range of issues relating to the progress, development and industrialization of Andhra Pradesh cropped up he said.

He held discussions with the Prime Minister, and Union Ministers for Home Affairs, Finance, Urban Development, Water Resources, Surface Transport and Ports, Rural Development, Railways and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Minister of State for Science and Technology YS Sujana Chowdhury, Special Representative to GoAP New Delhi, Vice-Chairman of State Planning Board, Chief Secretary to Government, Principal Finance Secretary, Secretaries of Industry, Energy and Infrastructure, Resident Commissioner of AP and other senior officials of the State Government.

He had meetings with national and international investors, industrialists, development professionals, and senior officials of the Central Government.

At the end of his tour, Naidu has delivered inaugural address on the 'Role of India in Globalizing World' at the Business Summit organized by the Economic Times on Friday evening.

Among the specific requests made were on bridging the non-plan revenue gap; fiscal incentives for economic development and fiscal incentives; special development package for the backward areas of the State; financial support to the new capital city, sanction of IIIT, NIT, Central University, Tribal University, Petroleum University, Agricultural University, National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) (to start admissions for 2015-16 academic year), sanction of an additional amount of Rs 1,330 crores for sustainable rehabilitation of infrastructure destroyed by Hudhud cyclone.

He said the upcoming Godavari Pushkarams would be a mega event of the State Government and even the Prime Minister was keen that it should be a great event. He said the PM had even suggested competitions related to the event to generate a great interest among the people.