india

Updated: Sep 13, 2019 21:04 IST

The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday requested the NITI Aayog to ensure that the Centre releases grants due to the state liberally so that the administration can take up pending social infrastructure projects in the state.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who held a meeting with NITI Aayog vice-chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar at his camp office in Tadepalli for over an hour, requested that NITI Aayog should not dilute or reduce the Central grants due to the state, an official release from the chief minister’s office (CMO) said.

Stating that the previous government had proposed a vote-on-account budget with an outlay of Rs 2.27 lakh crore, Jagan said the present government had not changed the quantum of the budget, but had changed the priorities.

“Our priority areas are education, healthcare, and inclusive growth. As the state revenues, central devolution and fiscal deficit cannot be increased or changed, it is only the Central grant that we can expect to be more liberal,” he said.

Assuring all possible help to the state, the NITI Aayog vice-chairman appreciated Jagan’s governance model, aimed at inclusive growth balancing welfare and development. He said he was impressed with the Navaratnas (nine promises) made by the new government.

He particularly appreciated Amma Vodi, a novel scheme where the mother would be given Rs 15,000 per annum for sending her children to school. The chief minister said this scheme could be sponsored by the HRD Ministry and could be replicated across the country.

The chief minister requested that the assurances given in the State Reorganisation Act, including Kadapa Steel Plant, Polavaram and other issues be expedited. Women and child health, malnutrition, Matsya Abhivrudhi Yojana were among the other things that were discussed during the meeting.