India News

Union Minister Arun Jaitley, along with Venkaiah Naidu has conducted the press meet and announced the special package to AP.

Jaitley made it clear that, the Center is unable to give special status. "All the promises made as per AP reorganization act will be fulfilled by the centre and accordingly, the respective ministries would release make their announcements. AP would get benefits equivalent to special status", Jaitley said.

Citing constraints placed by the 14th Finance Commission in grant of special category status to Andhra Pradesh, he said, "We have decided to give a special assistance measure for Andhra Pradesh, wherein an amount equivalent to what they'd have got, if that statement could have been implemented". The amount, he said, will be given to the state over a period of five years. Jaitley further said that the railway zone announcement will be made by Suresh Prabhu.

The Centre recently had released Rs. 1976 crores, including Rs. 450 crores for capital Amaravati and another Rs 350 crores for 7 backward districts. However, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had been holding out for special status, with the least concern to all the packages.