Amravati, January 7 (IANS). Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Wednesday and urged the Center to grant statutory status of permanent capital of the state to Amaravati.
Describing it as extremely important for the long-term development and stability of the state, the Chief Minister urged for giving statutory status to Amaravati by introducing a bill in the Parliament.
The Chief Minister reached Delhi after visiting the Polavaram project site in the morning.
During the discussion, both the leaders reviewed key development and welfare initiatives related to Andhra Pradesh.
Emphasizing the need for policy clarity, the Chief Minister said that formal legislative recognition of Amaravati will accelerate development and fulfill the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh, and will also increase investor confidence.
The Chief Minister also requested that the State be given some flexibility with respect to certain aspects of the Ji-Ram-Ji scheme recently implemented in place of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
The Chief Minister discussed the financial provisions of the VB-Ji-Ram-Ji schemes and explained to Amit Shah that reducing the central and state government funding ratio to 60:40 would have a negative impact on Andhra Pradesh, which is already facing financial difficulties.
He pointed out that the revised Centre-State funding ratio is placing additional financial burden on Andhra Pradesh and may adversely impact implementation.
Seeking relief, the Chief Minister requested for alternative financial assistance and flexibility keeping in mind the current financial situation of the state. He acknowledged the Centre’s cooperation in helping Andhra Pradesh overcome the financial crisis and appealed for continued cooperation.
Ongoing development projects, welfare schemes and recent developments in the state were also discussed in the meeting.
He also discussed issues related to allocation for Andhra Pradesh in the Union Budget.
Chandrababu Naidu, whose Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is a key ally in the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, reportedly sought allocation for various projects in the state.
–IANS
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