Andhra Pradesh Urges Centre to Expedite Infrastructure and Institution Development

The Andhra Pradesh government has formally appealed to the Central government to expedite the establishment of institutions in the state in accordance with Schedule 13 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. In a recent meeting with Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, AP officials discussed various central institutions slated to be set up in the state under the Act, encompassing the creation of a steel plant in YSR district, the development of Dugarajapatnam port, and several other pertinent issues.

Key institutions, including a petroleum university, agriculture university, and the National Institute of Disaster Management, are yet to be established in Andhra Pradesh as outlined in the Act. Despite the initiation of the Visakhapatnam-Chennai industrial corridor, officials expressed concerns about the sluggish progress and urged the home secretary to ensure its prompt completion. Furthermore, there has been no feasibility study conducted for the proposed greenfield crude oil refinery and petrochemical complex in the state.

The provisions of the Reorganisation Act also committed to examining the feasibility of upgrading Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Tirupati airports. While progress on the proposed Bhogapuram airport is underway, the other two airports require development to meet international standards. Additionally, the establishment of a new railway zone with Visakhapatnam as its headquarters was proposed, but work on this initiative is yet to commence.

Representing the state at the meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday were Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy, along with senior officials Y Srilakshmi, Premachandra Reddy, and SS Ravat. The discussions underscore the state's commitment to realizing the promises laid out in the Reorganisation Act and the importance of swift action by the Centre in expediting these crucial developments in Andhra Pradesh.

ET