Hans News Service Amaravati

ChiefMinister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday used the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting in Mahabalipuram to press the Centre for closure of lingering bifurcation issues concerning Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, while putting forward an ambitious blueprint for south India’s economic and infrastructure integration.

Addressing the meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Naidu pointed out that 12 years after bifurcation, the division of certain institutions and assets between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana remains incomplete. He said Andhra Pradesh had been waiting for nine years for a decision on issues under Section 66 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. He sought action also on matters under Section 56, the resource gap and the financial burden on the state. He said the division of institutions listed in Schedules 9 and 10, along with assets and liabilities, must be settled on the principle of equitable justice.

Naidu thanked the Centre for its support to Andhra Pradesh and said 10 of the 11 promised national-level institutions had been established. He sought faster approvals and funding for projects under Schedule 13, including the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor, three airports, and rail connectivity to Amaravati. He also raised demands for the Dugarajapatnam Port, BPCL refinery, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada Metro projects and rail connectivity to the Jindal Steel plant in Kadapa. Naidu thanked the Centre for support to Polavaram, the South Coast Railway Zone and Amaravati. He also raised the issue of AP Bhavan in Delhi.

The Chief Minister welcomed the Centre's legal recognition of Amaravati as the state's capital and said the new capital was being developed with focus on water resources, greenery, quality of life, connectivity, and economic opportunities. Continued on Page 7