SCS: we will fight to the finish, asserts Naidu

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said Special Category Status (SCS) was the right of Andhra Pradesh and he would not compromise on the self-respect of the people of the State.

‘No deviation in stand’

He was intervening when BJP MLA from Rajahmundry Akula Satyanarayana was speaking on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, in the Assembly.

Mr. Satyanarayana recalled that Mr. Naidu himself had admitted in the past that the SCS was not very beneficial as it would bring to the State only ₹3,000 crore funds. This prompted the Chief Minister to clarify his stand. “I have never said that. I have never deviated from my stand on the SCS and I have always worked in the interests of the State,” he emphasised, reminding that the Congress party which had a 125-year-long history had slipped into oblivion after it went back on its promises.

Amidst thumping of tables by his party leaders, Mr. Naidu said: “SCS is directly related to Telugu people’s sentiments, their self-respect; there is no question of compromising on it.”

He said he had been patient and went around the Delhi corridors of power 29 times. “Even now, I am not asking for any favour. I want the BJP government at the Centre to read the 18 points in the AP Reorganisation Act and implement the same,” he said. He pointed out the per capita income among the southern States was the lowest in Andhra Pradesh. “This is not our fault. It is the fault of the then rulers. We are asking the Central government to rectify it and till that is achieved, give us the provision of hand-holding.”

Polavaram

To make his point that he had always been clear about what he wanted, he cited the example of the Polavaram project and said when he realised that implementation of the project was not possible without shifting seven mandals in Telangana to AP, he got it done through an ordinance. Mr. Satyanarayana said there was a need to remove misconceptions in the minds of people on SCS. He said the Modi government was wedded to the cause of development of AP. The BJP had acknowledged in Parliament that the bifurcation process was carried out in an unscientific way and that AP needed hand-holding.

He admitted that the revenue deficit figures of 2014-15 and delay in externally aided projects were contentious issues which were being addressed.

Stating that the Centre would do all that was promised and much more, he cited the examples of the National Academy of Customs and Excise Narcotics, the National Institute of Ocean Technology in Nellore, the NCERT Regional Institute of Education and the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Technology Development Centre and said these projects were not included in the AP Reorganisation Act.

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