Andhra Pradesh government today issued administrative sanction for the release of central funds to seven backwards districts in Rayalaseema and North coastal Andhra . As part of the implementation of assurances given in Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act-2014, the centre had announced a special package for these districts in the current year’s budget. As per the package, out of the total grant of Rs 350 crore mentioned in the budget, each district is eligible to get Rs 50 crore from the centre as grant. The districts that come under the Special Development Package are Anantapuramu, Kurnool, YSR Kadapa, Chittoor (Rayalaseema districts), Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts of North Coastal Region. Meanwhile centre also released funds for the development of Vijayawada and Guntur. As for Vijayawada, Storm water Drainage scheme will be taken up with a total Project Cost of Rs.461.04 crores with the sharing pattern of Rs.460.00 crores by the Government of India and Rs.1.04 crores by the ULB viz., Vijayawada Municipal Corporation. In Guntur, a project costing Rs 903. 82 crore will be taken up for the execution of Under Ground Sewerage Scheme in Guntur Municipal Corporation. While the centre’s share is Rs.540 crores the state government will bear the rest ie Rs.363.82 crores.