The issue of according special category state status to Andhra Pradesh rocked both Houses of Parliament today. However, the NDA government made it clear that since the subject was not included in the AP Reorganization Act, 2014 the government could not be blamed for not according special category status to Andhra Pradesh. It is more than clear from today’s debate in the Parliament that the subject of according special status to Andhra Pradesh is not on cards at Centre.
Congress raised the issue in the backdrop of AP Congress’ plans to stage dharna in New Delhi on the same subject. The party raised the issue both in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. In Lok Sabha Parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah was categorical in that that there was no thinking in the central government to accord special category status to Andhra Pradesh as it was not the commitment made in Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act.2014.
While senior Congress member Gulam Nabi Azad raised the matter in Rajya Sabha, in Lok Sabha former minister Jyotiraditya Scindia gave the notice on special status. Stating that many crucial issues promised to the state of Andhra Pradesh at the time of passage of Reorganization Bill remain unfulfilled, Azad reminded how all opposition leaders demanded special status to Andhra Pradesh then,especially , in Rajya Sabha. When government proposed a five year-long special status, then opposition leader in the House Arun Jaitley and senior member Venkaiah Naidu insisted on ten year- special status stating that the five year period was not sufficient. Recalling this Azad demanded a response from the government. He said the special category status was to compensate what was lost to Telangana in the process of division of the state. Azad listed out many issues that were not implemented and said the special status on the lines of KBK districts of Odisha was the consensus arrived at between the government and the then opposition BJP . Another senior member Digvijay Singh recalled how backing out on its own words after coming to power. Congress members Ambika Soni, Jairam Ramesh, KVP Ramachandra Rao, T Subbiramireddy J D Seelam and Ananda Bhaskar associated with the matter.
In Lok Sabha responding to opposition’s demand Venkaiah said government was ready to implement all those issues found mention in the Act. ” It is true I also demanded the special status for ten years in Rajya Sabha. But I insisted on incorporation of the matter in the Act. But Congress didn’t do it. So, it was Congress that is to be blamed. Then Congress was silent and now it is violent,” the parliamentary affairs minister said.
Elaborating on the help extended by NDA government to Andhra Pradesh, Venkaiah said nowhere the world ‘special status ‘ was mentioned in the bill. ” Majority of the commitments made in the act like central institutes, Polavaram, transfer of mandals under Polavaram to Andhra Pradesh from Telangana, out ring road to Amaravati. etc have been fulifilled,” he said.
In Rajya Sabha finance minister Arun Jaitley said many of the promises made to Andhra Pradesh had been fulfilled and some were in the pipeline. ” Funds have been sanctioned for some projects. Foundation stones for some have been laid. Regarding the bridging the revenue gap, within the limitations enforced by 14 commission, the centre is helping the state of Andhra Pradesh. Last year we released some amount. This year we released some more funds. Similarly Polavaram is going to get funding from Nabard,” he said.
