Headlines
Sonia Gandhi writes to PM for special status to Andhra
Congress President Sonia
Gandhi has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that special
category status is granted to Andhra Pradesh immediately.
In her
letter, copies of which were shared with the media Friday by the Andhra
Pradesh unit of the Congress party, she urged the prime minister to
provide financial assistance to the state and support the construction
of the state capital.
She said even after eight months of the
division of Andhra Pradesh, the commitments made to the people of the
successor state of Andhra Pradesh were not fulfilled.
Gandhi also
drew Modi's attention to her earlier letter dated June 22, 2014 on the
implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. She had written
it for ensuring that all commitments made to the people of the
successor state of Andhra Pradesh are fulfilled in letter and spirit.
"Even
after eight months of division of Andhra Pradesh, many of the
investment and other commitments made by the Government of India have
not been fulfilled. Special category status announced to the successor
State of Andhra Pradesh, by the then prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh
on the floor of the Rajya Sabha on February 20, 2014 is (has) not yet
been secured," she wrote.
She said the resolve to fulfil all
these commitments in a time-bound manner should be conveyed in the
special address of the President to both the Houses of Parliament at the
commencement of the budget session.
Gandhi also urged "to ensure
that adequate resources are provided in the budget proposals of the
Government of India, to provide financial assistance to the Government
of Andhra Pradesh to overcome severe shortage of revenue and support
construction of capital".
"Adequate budget provisions need to be
made to various Ministries of Government of India to enable
implementation of the development package committed in the Andhra
Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2013," she added.
Gandhi also urged
the prime minister to make requisite allocations in the railway budget
to fulfil the commitments relating to the Indian Railways.