Centre's Package Better Than Special Status: TDP

Supporting the Centre's stance on the Special Status issue, TDP leader and Union Minister Y Sujana Chowdary today stated that the special package announced by the Centre would provide better incentives than what the Special Status ever could.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Chowdary opined that Andhra Pradesh was unlikely to get many useful incentives under the Special Status tag.

Quoting the special reorganization package document that was released by the Centre, he said that Andhra Pradesh was set to witness rapid growth with the establishment of the proposed Visakhapatnam-Chennai and Chennai-Bengaluru industrial corridors. The Centre was also ready to bear all expenditure for the Polavaram project, release special funds for the Rayalaseema region and the backward districts of northern Andhra, fill the revenue deficit and release special funds towards tax subsidy.

He claimed that some of the incentives that were mentioned in the package have already been initiated in the State, including the establishment of some Central educational institutes such as the IIT and the establishment of new international airport terminals.

Slamming the Opposition in Andhra Pradesh for "misguiding" people on the issue, he urged the people to become aware of the subject of Special Status through proper sources instead of from the YSR Congress Party. He said that the Centre could accord Special Status to a State only if it fit the criteria set by the 14th Finance Commission.

"There is an urgent need for every concerned person to educate themselves on the issue. In the present circumstances, the State will suffer a huge loss if Special Status were to be granted to it," he noted.