Government today in the Rajya Sabha said a "good progress" has been achieved in last two years in implementing the provisions of the Andra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and a meeting has been scheduled for May 4 to review the steps taken.
Sufficient funds have been given to Andhra Pradesh and as many as 10 intitutions including IIT and IIM have been made functional in last two years, Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary said.
Plans to build airports in three cities besides a High Court are underway, he said while replying to a Private Members' Bill moved by Congress member K V P Ramachandra Rao which sought to make amendments to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2013.
"To implement the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, we have fixed short and long term targets. We are reviewing timely. Next review meeting is slated on May 4 by Niti Aayog," the minister said.
The last review meeting was undertaken in February. The forthcoming meeting will see progress made so far, he said.
"Good progress is being achieved. Whatever stated in the Act and promises made by the government, we are implementing them. Whatever our party and our Prime Minister has said, we are fulfilling," he said and requested the member to withdraw the bill.
The Centre is competent to implement the provisions. A committee has been set up to review the progress.
"10 institutions have been made functional in the last two years. You say nothing has happened," the Minister said while sharing details of the funds released and progress of these institutions made so far.
The work is in progress for setting up of institutes such as IIT, IIM and NIT. The site has been selected and in the process of acquiring land, he said.
The Minister further said the Centre has given Rs 700 crore to Andhra Pradesh for backward districts in last two years, while tax devolution for the state was Rs 34,000 in the same period.
The Centre has sanctioned Rs 2,500 crore in last two years for setting up a new capital Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh, he said.
On the Polavaram dam project, Chaudhary said the Centre
has declared it as a national project and enough funds have been sanctioned so far. A separate management board for Krishna and Godavari has been constituted.
"About 7,100 crore will be made available in the coming years to ensure the project is completed in time by 2018."
He said the work is in progress for setting up of airports at Vishakapatnam, Tirupati and Vijaywada and additional police force has also been sanctioned.
Andhra Pradesh has demanded setting up of High Court at Amaravati. "We are looking into all proposals of the two states. We are coordinating with the concerned departments on this issue," the minister added.
When TRS leader Jesudasu Seelam asked about special status to Andhra Pradesh, he said the Finance Commission has made provision for tax incentives and sufficient central assistance to both the states.
Talking about the promises made in the 2014 Act, the
Finance Minister said a number of them have already been fulfilled. He named these as setting up of IIT, NIT, IIM and IISc.
He also cited in-principle approval of Vizag metro, coal blocks and Vijaywada airport as the fulfillment of the 13th schedule commitments.
Jaitley repeatedly said Andhra Pradesh's case is a developmental issue and one should not try and take political mileage out of it.
He said the Centre has already given Rs 2,803 crore to Andhra Pradesh and both it and the state are working out the rest of the payment after studying the demand.
"I have no hesitation in telling my colleagues in the House that this is not the last day nor the last payment," he said.
Jaitley said the Finance Commission has granted special status to hilly states and border districts but states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal would get more than what has been recommended under the new system.
"What will happen to federalism if we reject the Finance Commission report? India is a shared sovereignty. Should we reject part of the Finance Commission report," he asked while replying to questions raised by members.
Meanwhile, Thota Seetharama Lakshmi of the TDP said Andhra Pradesh was asking for justice and not begging. "We are asking for what we rightly deserve," she said.
Naresh Gujral of SAD said the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh was a "cynical step" taken by a desperate Congress wanting to reap immediate political dividends.
D Raja of CPI said people in Andhra are agitated but the central government is running away from the assurances given by the previous government.
Responding to this, Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said, "nobody is running away. Some solution has to be found."
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, while cautioning that the issue could "inflame" and "ignite" passions, said a "conflict has arisen because of assurance given here. How do we settle that? A way has to be found out. I urge the government to work out a mechanism to resolve this issue.
