Rahul writes to PM, pitches for special category status for AP

Rahul Gandhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressing for early grant of special category status for Andhra Pradesh, telling him about "disappointment and pain" among people over the Centre's "failure" to honour its commitments.
"Over one year has elapsed since the NDA government has come to power, but many of the commitments made to the state--including special category status-remain unfulfilled", he said in the letter.
The Congress vice president said he had twice visited the state in the past one year and during the tours he could sense "the severe disappointment and pain the people were in due to the Centre's failure to honour its commitments".

Noting that the state was facing a huge revenue deficit and development initiatives have been at a standstill, he said that despite the obvious need for immediate aid, the Centre has still not acted to extend support.
Since the Prime Minister was visiting Andhra Pradesh this week to lay the foundation stone for its new capital Amravathi, he should utilise the opportunity to grant Special Category status and announce a time frame for the fulfillment of the commitments made in the Act, said Rahul.
During the process of reorganisation, one of the major concerns of the people was the economic viability of their state, he said.

"To address these concerns, the UPA Government was careful to include a comprehensive development package for Andhra Pradesh within the Act itself", he said, adding that for further support, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also announced Special Category Status to the state.
The Act had resulted in carving separate state of Telanagana out of Andhra Pradesh some two years back which has led to lot of problems for the people in coastal Andhra and Rayalseema regions.
Gandhi had earlier accused the TDP-led government as also the NDA and opposition party YSR Congress for not doing enough to pressure the Centre on this issue.