Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today said that they would exert more pressure on the Centre to grant special category status to the state.
"We have to achieve special status for our state. At the same time, the Centre has to extend all necessary financial assistance as the state is facing numerous problems on account of the unscientific bifurcation," Naidu said, addressing a public meeting here this afternoon.
The Chief Minister's assertion came in the backdrop of statements by some Union ministers ruling out grant of special status to AP in the wake of the bifurcation.
"We aligned with the BJP in critical circumstances. A new state was formed...With a lot problems. We need money and clearances (for projects) from the Centre. So we joined hands with the BJP," Chandrababu said.
"We never compromised with the Centre on the special status. We will achieve it by exerting more pressure," he said.
Unless everyone in the state toiled "day and night" for ten years, the state would not come out of its problems caused by the bifurcation, he noted.
AP also faces trouble from "neighbours" (on sharing of river water), the Chief Minister pointed out.
"Telangana and Odisha are creating problems for us. Telangana is constructing projects on Krishna and Godavari rivers in violation of the AP Reorganisation Act. Odisha is opposing our projects being built on Nagavali river. These states are objecting to our use of river water that is going waste into the sea," Chandrababu said.
"We have to overcome all these troubles in an amicable manner," he said.
The Chief Minister took part in the Neeru-Chettu (water and tree) programme as part of the water conservation mission launched by the government. Ministers P Raghunath Reddy, K Mrinalini, P Pulla Rao and others participated.
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Naidu also said that he is giving more priority to increase ground water level in Andhra Pradesh.
"We are giving funds for desilting of around 9,135 water tanks in the district. We are planning to link all the four major rivers in the district. After conducting a study we will take initiatives to link Nagavali, Janjhavathi, Vegavathi and Champavathi rivers for better drainage system," the Chief Minister said.
He said the state government is working to improve services at government hospitals by monitoring the working style of doctors and other staff there.
