Foundation stone to be laid for Kadapa steel plant on December 27

The foundation stone for the steel plant in Kadapa is to be laid on December 27, according to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

While he was addressing a students’ convention at Kadapa recently said, the NDA Government had not come forward to set up the plant though provision was included in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, and "therefore the State Government is going ahead with the project on its own. We have offered everything, land, water, power and iron ore is available in the vicinity. Still, the Union Government is not willing to honour the promise."

Vindictive attitude

He said the NDA Government was adopting "a vindictive attitude" towards the State after the TDP had broken with the BJP and he added "even in the case of a national project like mega Polavaram irrigation project on the Godavari, the lifeline to Andhra Pradesh, the Centre is not releasing Rs 3,500 crore we have already spent."

He reasserted the determination of the State Government to complete the Polavaram project , in spite of the alleged non-cooperative attitude of the Centre, and added that the construction of Amaravati, the new capital city, was also hampered as funds were not being released. "We are finding alternative sources of funding, involving the private sector also in the exercise, to build a world class capital for the State," he said.

Education

Regarding the setting up of educational institutions, he said it was a fact that the NDA Government had sanctioned quite a few educational institutions for the State, but it has not made the necessary budgetary allocations, and they are languishing for want of funds. We have provided valuable land and other facilities for these institutions but the Centre is not doing its bit.

However, he said, the State Government was attracting many private educational groups and universities to set up their campuses in the State so as to provide enough educational opportunities .

HBL