Jagan Mohan Reddy urges party MPs to raise Polavaram, SCS in Parliament

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed his party MPs to raise a series of issues, including Polavaram project, special category status and release of funds for various projects during the ensuing budget session of the Parliament.

He met the MPs at his camp office here on Monday and explained about several State-related issues and underlined the importance of raising them in Parliament.

Reddy stated that the State was yet to get Rs 1,569.86 crore from the Centre for execution of Polavaram irrigation project and also approval for revised cost estimate of the project to the tune of Rs 55,656.87 crore. He said they had raised the need for accepting the revised cost estimate of Polavaram project at several platforms that has resulted in the Centre taking a positive view on the issue. He said release of funds was essential to execute the project as per schedule.

Maintaining that they had written a series of letters to the Centre on the need to accord special tag to the state, he directed the MPs to raise the issue in the Parliament.

Referring to the state’s move to develop 16 new medical colleges where three had already got approval, he asked the MPs to take it up with the Centre to get approval for the remaining 13 colleges. He assured the MPs that they were making all efforts to develop infrastructure for the colleges and also getting adequate number of doctors and health staff by the time they get the mandatory permission from the Centre.

The Chief Minister pointed out that Rs 4,282 crore were still due from the Centre for procurement of paddy under the public distribution system. He asked the MPs to raise the issue of dues worth Rs 1,842.45 crore to AP as per recommendations of 14th and 15th Finance Commissions. He said that AP was to get Rs 2,255.7 crore from the Centre for taking up temporary restoration works of the infrastructure damaged during the Nivar cyclonic storm.  He urged to get approval for AP Disha Bill and AP Special Courts Bills.

Reddy called for raising issues like release of financial dues, including Rs 3,707.7 crore under job scheme, revenue deficit to the tune of Rs 18,830.87 crore and Rs 700 crore for development of backward districts in the state. He instructed the MPs to take up the issues related to passage of bills dealing with decentralisation of governance and inclusive development of all regions and also the need to issue renotification for relocation of AP High Court to Kurnool, political conspiracy behind attacks on temples.