Ys Jagan on hectic shcedule at Delhi
Meets Modi, Nirmala and Scindia
New Delhi, Jan 3: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at latter’s residence and discussed several key issues related to the state.
During the interaction, the Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister to approve the revised cost estimates of Rs. 55,657 crores at 2017-18 price level, which includes drinking water component of Rs. 4,000 crores and also to release the pending payments of Rs. 2,100 crores already incurred by the State Government towards Polavaram project.
The Chief Minister said the total revenue deficit for 2014-15 financial year Rs. 22,948.76 crores and the amount released to the state was only Rs. 4,117.89 crores and requested that the remaining portion of Rs. 18830.87 crores be released at the earliest, to support the state during this hour of need.
The Chief Minister said an amount of Rs. 6,284 crores is receivable by Andhra Pradesh Generation Corporation Limited (APGENCO) from the Telangana State Distribution Utilities and Telangana DISCOMs have recognized the amount as payables but are yet to make the actual payment. He requested the Prime Minister to direct the concerned authorities to settle these dues at the earliest so that the State power sector will be financially strengthened and the state’s payables to power suppliers can also be discharged.
The Chief Minister said there is inadequate coverage of beneficiaries under NFSA (National Food Security) Act, and large number of needy and deserving persons being uncovered and requested the Prime Minister to direct the concerned officials that State’s data be revisited and corrected. He also urged that a comprehensive view be taken on the poverty levels in the State, wider coverage of population of Andhra Pradesh under TPDS be ensured and the anomaly be corrected.
The Chief Minister said the NBC (net borrowing ceiling) for the financial year 2021-22 was originally fixed at Rs. 42,472 crores as per the FRBM norms fixed by the Central Government and made applicable to every State. The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Government of India has subsequently informed that an amount of Rs. 17,923.24 crores is to be adjusted against the NBC fixed for this year on account of the so called overborrowing of the State during earlier years of the previous Government in the State. The Chief Minister emphasized that the so called over-drawal was only a borrowing and not a grant and the borrowing is also being serviced without any default. He has requested the Prime Minister that the State’s NBC be restored to its original level of Rs. 42,472 crore.
Urged renewal of approval to Bhogapuram airpot
The Chief Minister has urged the Prime Minister to renewal the approvals of site clearences for greenfield international airport at Bhogapuram. In regard to setting up an Integrated Steel Plant in YSR Kadapa District, he said MECON, a Government of India undertaking has not yet concluded its report as to the feasibility of the integrated steel plant and urged the Prime Minister to directed the concerned officials to expedite it.
He said the state government has incorporated ‘YSR Steel Corporation Ltd’ for establishing the steel plant in YSR Kadapa district. For securing iron ore mineral for the proposed steel plant, requests have been made to the Ministry of Mines to reserve iron ore mineral areas in favour of a Government of Andhra Pradesh undertaking, AP Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. Such reservation is permitted by the extant legal framework. However, the Ministry of Mines, Government has suggested the auction route for securing supply of mineral. Auction route would minimize the possibility of availability of low cost mineral, threatening the feasibility of the project, he said and urged the Prime Minister to direct Mines Ministry to reserve mineral areas as it is of vital importance for the future of the project.
Later, the Chief Minister has called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and discussed the issues related to the state.
CM meets Aviation Minister
New Delhi, Jan 3: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has met Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia here on Monday and requested him to support the development of Bhogapuram Greenfield International Airport.
In this regard, the Chief Minister elaborated that the construction of Greenfield Airport at Bhogapuram would help in development of Visakhapatnam and its surrounding areas, as this is one of the important projects in the State. He reminded that the Centre had promised to provide aid for the development of Andhra Pradesh in all sectors, including aviation, for a period of ten years during the State bifurcation in 2014 with both financial assistance and securing permissions.
He stated that the airport is being built at Bhogapuram, as there is no possibility for expanding the current airport in Visakhapatnam, which is adjacent to Eastern Naval Base. The Chief Minister urged Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to extend support for completing the airport in the next three years.
On this occasion, he lauded the efforts of the Aviation Minister and the special initiatives taken for the development of the aviation sector in the country.
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