Notwithstanding the repeated claims by the YSR Congress party government in Andhra Pradesh that it would continue its fight with the Centre to secure special category status to the state, there has been absolutely no change in the stand of the NDA government.
On Tuesday, the Centre once again made it clear in Lok Sabha that there was no question of granting any special category status to Andhra Pradesh and the chapter has been closed once and for all.
“As asserted several times in the past that no new state would be given special category status, as per the recommendations of the 14th finance commission. So, it is a closed chapter,” Union minister of state for finance Nityananda Roy said, in his reply to a query Telugu Desam Party MP from Srikakulam Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu.
He said the Centre had already extended a special package of financial assistance, besides granting several exemptions in various fields.
Referring to the inter-state disputes between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh which the Centre has to resolve as per the AP Reorganisation Act, the Union minister virtually threw up his hands.
He said there were several contentious issues between the two Telugu states but the solution was not in the hands of the Centre.
“They should resolve their disputes through negotiations and the Centre has no role to play in it,” Nityananda Roy said.
