JP observes 3-hr Mauna Deeksha

Lok Satta senior leader Dr Jayaprakash Narayana sat on a three-hour-long ‘Mauna Deeksha,’ demanding special status to Andhra Pradesh here on Sunday. Addressing a news conference, Jayaprakash Narayana asked Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to release white paper on the State’s financial position. He alleged that the government was concealing facts on the State’s financial position. He said that the State was facing severe financial crisis after bifurcation. The State was also expected to face revenue deficit after the bifurcation, he said.

He, however, regretted that the government was not making the financial facts known to the people. He also asked the government to reveal the financial situation of the State that would help in getting the special category status promised to the State and also special package to the backward districts of Rayalaseema and Uttarandhra.

The Lok Satta leader wanted the State government to make its stand clear on getting the benefits promised at the time of bifurcation. He asked the government to be tough with the Centre and get the funds due for the State. He wanted the Andhra Pradesh government to place its arguments strong before the Centre and get the financial support as promised in the Parliament at the time of bifurcation.

Referring to the Central government’s allocation of Rs 100 crore for the prestigious Polavaram Project, Dr Jayaprakash Narayana criticized the Centre and wondered how the government intended to complete the project in five years with these meager funds. He said that it would take more than thousand years for the government to complete the project and demanded that the government increase allocation. He wanted the government to complete the project in the next five years as promised in the AP Reorganisaton Act.

The Lok Satta leader expressed concern over the increasing gap between the two Telugu States. He felt the need to clear differences between the two States and resolve disputes for peaceful co-existence. He emphasized the need to create a friendly atmosphere between the two Telugu States for better coordination and growth.

Courtesy: The Hans India