Andhra govt reminds 15th Finance Commission about need for Special Category Status |

[bhaigan]

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Andhra Pradesh government has requested the 15th Finance Commission members to recommend the need of granting the Special Category Status to the state.

Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission, NK Singh, Secretary Arvind Mehta and other members met Jagan Reddy at his camp office in Tadepalli, Amaravati.

Also present were Andhra government chief secretary Nilam Sawhney, Finance Department principal secretary SS Rawat and other senior bureaucrats.

They gave a presentation to the delegation about the poor financial situation of the state and urged them to cooperate liberally. While reminding the losses the state incurred due to bifurcation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, the officials reminded the need of granting Special Category Status to the state. They requested the FC to recommend to grant the Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister explained the priorities of the state government to the Finance Commission. Reddy told them that Polavaram project works are to be completed soon. He said that reforms in governance are brought through village secretariats.

He explained the 'Nadu - Nedu' scheme being implemented in schools and hospitals. He claimed that village secretariats and village volunteers systems are big administrative reforms brought by the state government.