more-in Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu instructed officials of the Finance Department to request the 15th Finance Commission to ensure that justice is done to Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) which bore the brunt of bifurcation. The loss inflicted by the bifurcation, which left the State with 58.32% population and 46% income, was yet to be fully compensated and assets and liabilities were apportioned on the unscientific bases of geography and population respectively. The Central government has not implemented the A.P. Reorganisation Act in letter and spirit and various other issues remained to be sorted more than four years after bifurcation. Comprehensive info Officials have to submit comprehensive information to the Commission so that it would understand what needs to be done for A.P. even at this late juncture, he said. Addressing a review meeting on the activities of the Finance Department on Friday, Mr. Naidu the Special Category Status (SCS) has been virtually ruled out and the promises gave by the then Prime Minister in Parliament were largely unfulfilled. There was no proper record of the revenue and expenditure of 13 districts at the time of bifurcation and with over-dependence on the agriculture sector, the per capita income lagged far behind that of all southern States. The CM observed that the State achieved double-digit growth in spite of the huge revenue deficit it was saddled with and against many other odds. Under these circumstances, the Central government should come to the rescue of A.P. which was still grappling with ‘structural problems.’ Due emphasis has to be laid on the sanction of revenue deficit grants, devolution of funds and other issues which the Centre should sort out urgently. A holistic picture should be presented to the officials of Commission who were scheduled to visit the State from October 9 to 11, Mr. Naidu said. Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Special Chief Secretary M. Ravi Chandra and Planning Board Vice-Chairman C. Kutumba Rao were present.

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