The CPM has strongly objected to the statement of the 16th Finance Commission Chairperson Aravind Panagariya that the special status for Andhra Pradesh was a closed issue. CPM State Secretary V Srinivasa Rao said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had promised to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh and the people of the state have been waiting with hope for the last 10 years, believing in his statement.
He deplored that the Central government has betrayed the hopes of the people of the state by ignoring them. While the 14th Finance Commission said that this does not fall under its purview, the CPM strongly condemns the Chairman of the 16th Commission for saying that this is a closed chapter.
He said that the government’s policy will not change just because the Planning Commission is abolished, and this is a matter within the purview of the Central Government. Therefore, the CPM has demanded that the 16th Finance Commission, without any involvement from NITI Aayog, should consider the special circumstances of the state and recommend special status.
The CPM also deplored that it is unfair that the state government did not mention the special status and the state division guarantees anywhere in the memorandum submitted to the 16th Finance Commission or in the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s explanation.
Instead of turning around and being disappointed with foreign companies for investments, instead of surrendering to the corrupt terms and conditions they impose and plundering our resources, the CPM said if we get special status, the investments will come by themselves. The investors will have to turn around us.
Therefore, the CPM made it clear that special status is important for the development of the state and the experience of the last 10 years proves this. It said that the state government should recognize that in these 10 years, the state has been deceived in the name of a package and has fallen behind due to debts.
The CPM appealed to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to put pressure on the Center for the implementation of the special status division guarantees. Moreover, it expressed concern that none of the wealthy people in our state are ready to invest here and they are going to other states and countries. The state government has been asked to work so that they invest in our state.
The CPM has warned that the state BJP’s request to the 16th Finance Commission to continue the current 41 percent share of taxes due to the center to the state is harmful to the development of the state. It has strongly condemned the anti-state stance of the BJP.
On the one hand, the state government, which is a partner of the BJP, has submitted a memorandum to give 50% tax share, while on the other hand, the BJP’s demand for 41 percent is detrimental to the interests of the state. The CPM has asked the state government, Telugu Desam Party and the Chief Minister to respond to this.
