Our relations with Centre above politics: Andhra CM

VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday said that the state's relationship with the Centre is above politics and that he has no agenda except state's development.

The chief minister stated this while addressing a public meeting along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who laid the foundation stone or dedicated to the nation seven development projects.

"Our relationship with the Central government, especially you is above parties and politics. Except our state's interests, we have no other agenda and we will never have one," he said amid loud cheers from the huge gathering.

The chief minister stated that Andhra Pradesh is yet to recover from wounds of bifurcation and appealed to the Prime Minister to continue lending a helping hand to the state.

He stated that even after eight years the state has not recovered from the wounds of bifurcation. He told the Prime Minister that every institution sanctioned and every additional rupee released by the Centre would help in reconstruction of Andhra Pradesh. He said the state and its people will always remember whatever good done by the Prime Minister for the state's development and to do injustice done by the previous governments. Jagan Mohan Reddy recalled that on various occasions he raised the issues related to commitments made at the time of bifurcation ranging from Polavaram to special category status and from Visakhapatnam Steel Plant to railway zone. He requested Modi to positively consider these demands and resolve them with large-heartedness. Union minister for railway Ashwini Vaishnaw said in his speech that India has undergone phenomenal transformation under the leadership of PM Modi during the last eight years. He claimed that the railway has also undergone a transformation with better infrastructure and improvement in passenger amenities.

He said the allocation for railways in Andhra Pradesh has gone up during the last eight years. Before 2014 undivided Andhra Pradesh used to get Rs.886 crore but for the last eight years the allocation has gone up to Rs7,032 crore to Andhra Pradesh alone.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for redevelopment of Visakhapatnam Railway Station at a cost of around Rs 460 crore. The redeveloped station would cater to 75,000 passengers per day and will improve passenger experience by providing modern amenities.