Andhra Pradesh CM meets Amit Shah, seeks approval for HC in Kurnool

Raises special status demand too, besides nod for Polavaram revised cost estimates
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy calls on Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the latter’s residence in New Delhi on Thursday night. (Photo | EPS)
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy calls on Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the latter’s residence in New Delhi on Thursday night. (Photo | EPS)

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to issue a renotification shifting the Andhra Pradesh High Court to Kurnool, grant special status to the State and also sought approvals for the 13 proposed new medical colleges among others.

The Chief Minister, who flew to New Delhi in the afternoon, had a hectic schedule throughout the day. After holding parleys with Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar  and Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar, he drove to the residence of Amit Shah late in the night and held talks with him for one-and-a-half hours.

During the meeting, Jagan explained to him as to why the decision was taken to shift the high court to Kurnool and recalled that the state Assembly had passed the three capitals bill in August last year to ensure decentralised administration and development. In this context, he reminded Shah that the BJP too had included the demand for HC in Kurnool in its 2019 election manifesto.

He also reiterated the demand for grant of special status as that alone could help the state recover from the loss it had suffered following the creation of Telangana. To bring affordable and quality healthcare to the people, Jagan informed the Home Minister, that his government was establishing 13 new medical colleges and requested him to expedite approvals for them. Permissions had been granted to three already, he said and also sought financial assistance to set up the colleges. 

Stating that AP is in the forefront in implementation of power sector reforms, the Chief Minister said in spite of that, the financial condition of the State’s energy sector is not good. He reminded the Home Minister of the promise made by the Centre to help the State in this regard.

The Chief Minister further requested Shah to take measures to aid the state in surrendering power purchased from Kudigi and Vallur Thermal Power Plants at a higher cost. Explaining that the cost of power from those two power plants is high and the state has to pay fixed charges of Rs 325 crore every year, he said it is putting a heavy financial strain on the Discoms in the state. There is a 40-year power purchase agreement between the state Discoms and those two power plants. Stating that the Andhra Pradesh power sector is burdened with Rs 50,000 crore debts, he requested Shah to restructure the loans. 

Earlier, Jagan met Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to get approval for the Revised Cost Estimates of the Polavaram Irrigation Project as recommended by the technical advisory committee of the ministry along with the Central Water Commission and the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA). 
He also urged him to consider the water supply component as an integral part of the irrigation component as this would be in consonance with the guidelines followed by the Ministry of Jal Shakti towards national projects. He also requested him to reimburse the expenditure incurred by the State without restricting itself to component-wise eligibility.

Jagan asked Shekhawat to reimburse the amount for land acquisition and R&R compensation for the project-affected families as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. He urged the minister to shift the headquarters of PPA from Hyderabad to Rajamahendravaram. 

During his meeting with Prakash Javadekar, Jagan requested him to solve problems in environmental clearances regarding stocking works of the PIP . He also met Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar. He said 30.76 lakh house site pattas were distributed to the poor. About 28.30 lakh houses will be constructed — 15 lakh this year. He requested Rajiv Kumar to discuss with the ministries concerned and make the cost for development of infrastructure in those colonies a part of assistance given to the state governments under the PMAY. 

Consider water component too 
The CM urged Jal Shakti Minister Shekhawat to consider water supply component as an integral part of the irrigation component as per the norms followed on national projects. He also urged Singh to reimburse expenditure incurred by the State on the project without restricting to component-wise eligibility.

Shift PPA hq from Hyd to Rajahmundry
Jagan also asked Shekhawat to reimburse the amount for land acquisition and R&R compensation for project-affected families as per the Land Acquisition Act-2013. He further wanted the minister to shift the headquarters of the Polavaram Project Authority from Hyderabad to Rajahmundry at the earliest

Other requests 
Release PDS subsidy dues worth Rs 3,229 crore 
Release MGNREGS dues worth Rs 4,652.70 cr  
Release dues worth Rs 1,026.95 crore to local bodies under XIV and XV Finance Commission Grants
Give assent to AP Disha Bill and  AP Land Titling Authority Bill, 2020
Establish Central Tribal University at Salur in Vizianagaram 

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