AP Yet To Get Favourable Central Support: Governor

The Andhra Pradesh government was still waiting for favourable support from the central government to overcome the financial crisis that it had been facing since bifurcation of the state, said Governor E S L Narasimhan in his customary address to the joint session of the A P Legislative Assembly and Council on Saturday.

"The decision to bifurcate the state without taking all the stakeholders on board and finalising the capital city has caused avoidable hardship. The post-bifurcation issues, especially the huge financial deficits, continue to affect the new state of Andhra Pradesh, which is home to 58.32% of the population of the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh state," the Governor said.

Narasimhan said that despite inheriting various kinds of deficits, and the twin effects of the Hudhud cyclone and a drought, the state government took all measures during the last nine months not only to overcome the difficulties, but to convert the crises into opportunities and to lay a solid foundation for "Sunrise Andhra Pradesh".

He recalled that the union government had assured Andhra Pradesh in the A P Reorganisation Act, 2014, and in the speech of the then Prime Minister in the Rajya Sabha, of support in bridging the revenue deficit, industry incentives, a special development package for the backward areas in seven districts, assistance for the development of its capital, a railway zone for the state and special category status.

"During these few months, the state had anticipated more favourable support from the Centre. A more favourable response is still awaited," he said.

The Governor said that the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission had not offered any special preference to the state despite requests for handholding support.

"Our expectations for the state in the Union Budget of 2015-16 too did not fructify," he said.

"Andhra Pradesh has lost significant resources after division, and is at a disadvantage in competing with its revenue-surplus neighbouring states. To compete with developed cities like Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad of the neighbouring states, the Centre should give required assistance," he said.

The Governor also listed out the achievements in the last nine months, and the short-term and long-term goals of the Andhra Pradesh government. (INN)