<p>Andhra Pradesh Minister of Information Technology and son of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu&nbsp;Lokesh Nara on Thursday said that TDP&nbsp;had waited for long and believed in &quot;false promises&quot; of the Central government. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We&rsquo;ve waited enough. We&rsquo;ve believed in false promises enough. Our ministers are resigning from the Union Cabinet. We will do whatever it takes to fulfill the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh.</p>
&mdash; Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/naralokesh/status/971437418027995136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;We&rsquo;ve waited enough. We&rsquo;ve believed in false promises enough. Our ministers are resigning from the Union Cabinet. We will do whatever it takes to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh,&quot; he tweeted.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Telugu Desam Party on Wednesday night decided to pull out of the NDA government at the Centre and asked a couple of its ministers in the Modi government to tender their resignation.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Centre has been taking one sided decisions and our patience has run out now. When the purpose of joining the union cabinet hasn&rsquo;t been fulfilled, it&rsquo;s best to resign now.</p>
&mdash; N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) <a href="https://twitter.com/ncbn/status/971446230088691712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Naidu&#39;s announcement came shortly after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told a press conference in New Delhi that funds equivalent to what a special category state receives would be extended to Andhra Pradesh, but drew a line saying politics cannot increase the quantum of money.</p>

<p>Naidu said Jaitley&#39;s announcement was the &quot;last straw&quot; for the TDP. Naidu had repeatedly insisted on special category state status for Andhra Pradesh following mounting pressure from the opposition.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from PTI)&nbsp;</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


The Telugu Desam Party on Wednesday night decided to pull out of the NDA government at the Centre

Andhra Pradesh Minister of Information Technology and son of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu Lokesh Nara on Thursday said that TDP had waited for long and believed in "false promises" of the Central government. We’ve waited enough. We’ve believed in false promises enough. Our ministers are resigning from the Union Cabinet. We will do whatever it takes to fulfill the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh. — Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) March 7, 2018 × "We’ve waited enough. We’ve believed in false promises enough. Our ministers are resigning from the Union Cabinet. We will do whatever it takes to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh," he tweeted. The Telugu Desam Party on Wednesday night decided to pull out of the NDA government at the Centre and asked a couple of its ministers in the Modi government to tender their resignation. The Centre has been taking one sided decisions and our patience has run out now. When the purpose of joining the union cabinet hasn’t been fulfilled, it’s best to resign now. — N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 7, 2018 × Naidu's announcement came shortly after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told a press conference in New Delhi that funds equivalent to what a special category state receives would be extended to Andhra Pradesh, but drew a line saying politics cannot increase the quantum of money. Naidu said Jaitley's announcement was the "last straw" for the TDP. Naidu had repeatedly insisted on special category state status for Andhra Pradesh following mounting pressure from the opposition. (With inputs from PTI)

We believed in 'false promises': Lokesh Nara on TDP pulling-out of NDA

<p>In a bid to pacify the sulking ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today promised Andhra Pradesh funds equivalent to what a special category state receives but drew a line saying politics cannot increase the quantum of money.</p>

<p>As the TDP threatened to quit the ruling NDA alliance led by the BJP at the Centre, Jaitley said his government was committed to meeting all promises made to Andhra Pradesh at the time of carving out of Telangana four years back.</p>

<p>But giving special category status, as demanded by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, to any state apart from those in the North East and three hilly provinces is not constitutionally possible after the implementation of the 14th Finance Commission recommendation, he said.</p>

<p>However, to make up for that, the Centre would give Andhra Pradesh funds equivalent to what a special category status state gets, he said.<br />
For special category status category states, the Centre meets 90 per cent of the funds required in a centrally sponsored scheme as against 60 per cent in case of normal category states. The remaining funds are provided by the state governments.</p>

<p>He said the Centre had committed 90 per cent of the funds for centrally sponsored schemes in Andhra Pradesh, equivalent to special category states, through other means like external agencies like World Bank, but the state government wanted funds to be routed through agri-lending bank NABARD. The Centre is agreeable to even that provided a mechanism is worked out, he told reporters at his office here.</p>

<p>Asked about the threat of TDP to pull out of the NDA if more funds are not allocated, he said: &quot;political issue cannot increase the quantum of money because the Centre has no free-floating funds&quot;.<br />
&quot;Every state in India has the right to the central fund in the same manner. Sentiment does not decide the quantum of funds, it is the constitutional award of the Finance Commission which decides on the quantum of funds that the states get,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Asked about Congress President Rahul Gandhi&#39;s promise to give the state the special category status if his party is voted to power, Jaitley said, &quot;I still have to follow constitutional award&quot; of the 14th Finance Commission.<br />
He said the Centre is committed to giving funds to Andhra Pradesh equivalent to what a special status state gets, he said.</p>

<p>The 14th Finance Commission raised the share of states in taxes collected by the Centre to 42 per cent from 32 per cent but abolished special category states.</p>

<p>&quot;The principal issue relates to what is the implication of a special status. The special status was originally granted to states in North East because they have their own resources which were inadequate and the revenue was inadequate,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Jaitley said while the promise of special category status to Andhra Pradesh was legally possible when the state was bifurcated, there is no such category after constitutional award by the 14 Finance Commission.</p>

<p>&quot;Instead states which are in deficit in terms of revenue, we are compensating them because everyone gets a hike of 10 per cent to 42 per cent plus for a certain period; revenue deficit will be taken care of and a provision for revenue deficit was made in the case of Andhra Pradesh,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>For Andhra Pradesh, the 90:10 funding of schemes instead of usual 60:40 would be implemented &quot;notwithstanding the fact that the word special status is not there&quot;, he said.</p>

<p>During consultations in 2016, it was proposed that grants given by external agencies like World Bank, ADB and JICA to Andhra Pradesh would be repaid 90 per cent by the Centre and remaining 10 per cent by the state.</p>

<p>However, in January this year, the state government modified the request and demanded the money through NABARD.</p>

<p>&quot;Now if NABARD gives directly to the central government, it gets added to the fiscal deficit. If it gives to the state government, it will get added to the state&#39;s fiscal deficit, and therefore reduces the borrowing capacity of the state,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>To overcome this, it was proposed last month that a special purpose vehicle is created in the state which deals with the development work. The NABARD fund will come into that corporation and the money would be repaid to NABARD 90:10 ratio.</p>

<p>&quot;We are awaiting a response, I hope it is a positive response, and the state tells us in what manner they want,&quot; he said. &quot;At no stage has the Centre said that we won&#39;t give it.&quot;</p>

<p>Jaitley hoped for a positive outcome as he believed that the state needs assistance.</p>

<p>On revenue deficit, he said Rs 4,000 crore has already been paid for 2014-15 and only Rs 138 crore remains.</p>

<p>On the demand for tax incentives, he said in his Budget proposals he has already announced measures like investment and depreciation allowance.</p>

<p>&quot;AP has suffered because of bifurcation and whatever support is required because of that (we will give),&quot; he said, adding all issues have to be resolved within the framework of Centre and state relation.</p>


The Centre is agreeable to even that provided a mechanism is worked out, he told reporters at his office here.

In a bid to pacify the sulking ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today promised Andhra Pradesh funds equivalent to what a special category state receives but drew a line saying politics cannot increase the quantum of money. As the TDP threatened to quit the ruling NDA alliance led by the BJP at the Centre, Jaitley said his government was committed to meeting all promises made to Andhra Pradesh at the time of carving out of Telangana four years back. But giving special category status, as demanded by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, to any state apart from those in the North East and three hilly provinces is not constitutionally possible after the implementation of the 14th Finance Commission recommendation, he said. However, to make up for that, the Centre would give Andhra Pradesh funds equivalent to what a special category status state gets, he said. For special category status category states, the Centre meets 90 per cent of the funds required in a centrally sponsored scheme as against 60 per cent in case of normal category states. The remaining funds are provided by the state governments. He said the Centre had committed 90 per cent of the funds for centrally sponsored schemes in Andhra Pradesh, equivalent to special category states, through other means like external agencies like World Bank, but the state government wanted funds to be routed through agri-lending bank NABARD. The Centre is agreeable to even that provided a mechanism is worked out, he told reporters at his office here. Asked about the threat of TDP to pull out of the NDA if more funds are not allocated, he said: "political issue cannot increase the quantum of money because the Centre has no free-floating funds". "Every state in India has the right to the central fund in the same manner. Sentiment does not decide the quantum of funds, it is the constitutional award of the Finance Commission which decides on the quantum of funds that the states get," he said. Asked about Congress President Rahul Gandhi's promise to give the state the special category status if his party is voted to power, Jaitley said, "I still have to follow constitutional award" of the 14th Finance Commission. He said the Centre is committed to giving funds to Andhra Pradesh equivalent to what a special status state gets, he said. The 14th Finance Commission raised the share of states in taxes collected by the Centre to 42 per cent from 32 per cent but abolished special category states. "The principal issue relates to what is the implication of a special status. The special status was originally granted to states in North East because they have their own resources which were inadequate and the revenue was inadequate," he said. Jaitley said while the promise of special category status to Andhra Pradesh was legally possible when the state was bifurcated, there is no such category after constitutional award by the 14 Finance Commission. "Instead states which are in deficit in terms of revenue, we are compensating them because everyone gets a hike of 10 per cent to 42 per cent plus for a certain period; revenue deficit will be taken care of and a provision for revenue deficit was made in the case of Andhra Pradesh," he said. For Andhra Pradesh, the 90:10 funding of schemes instead of usual 60:40 would be implemented "notwithstanding the fact that the word special status is not there", he said. During consultations in 2016, it was proposed that grants given by external agencies like World Bank, ADB and JICA to Andhra Pradesh would be repaid 90 per cent by the Centre and remaining 10 per cent by the state. However, in January this year, the state government modified the request and demanded the money through NABARD. "Now if NABARD gives directly to the central government, it gets added to the fiscal deficit. If it gives to the state government, it will get added to the state's fiscal deficit, and therefore reduces the borrowing capacity of the state," he said. To overcome this, it was proposed last month that a special purpose vehicle is created in the state which deals with the development work. The NABARD fund will come into that corporation and the money would be repaid to NABARD 90:10 ratio. "We are awaiting a response, I hope it is a positive response, and the state tells us in what manner they want," he said. "At no stage has the Centre said that we won't give it." Jaitley hoped for a positive outcome as he believed that the state needs assistance. On revenue deficit, he said Rs 4,000 crore has already been paid for 2014-15 and only Rs 138 crore remains. On the demand for tax incentives, he said in his Budget proposals he has already announced measures like investment and depreciation allowance. "AP has suffered because of bifurcation and whatever support is required because of that (we will give)," he said, adding all issues have to be resolved within the framework of Centre and state relation.

Arun Jaitley: Will give money equivalent of special status to Andhra Pradesh

<p>MPs of the Telegu Desam Party and YSR Congress protested in the Lok Sabha on Monday demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The protests of the two rival parties led to the adjournment of the lower house of Parliament.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar responded to their demands, assuring them the issues raised will be looked into. He added that their demands were &quot;very sensitive&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">TDP MPs protest in Lok Sabha over demand of special status to AP &amp; other issues. Parl Affairs Min Ananth Kumar says, &#39;Want to tell my friends from TDP that their demands are very sensitive, PM &amp; GoI are very sensitive about development of AP, matters raised will be looked into&#39; <a href="https://t.co/idqoLBbPUT">pic.twitter.com/idqoLBbPUT</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/960769668213563392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: YSR Congress Party held protest in Parliament over their demands of special status for Andhra Pradesh among others <a href="https://t.co/lKNXTvhrLF">pic.twitter.com/lKNXTvhrLF</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/960773559621742592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The NDA ally TDP also&nbsp;demanded concessions for the party.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The party had already initiated efforts to press the centre for various allocations to Andhra Pradesh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It also expressed its&nbsp;dissatisfaction&nbsp;with the Union budget claiming it has no provisions for the state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The TDP MP also demanded implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act in &quot;keeping with the promise&quot; made by the BJP.</p>

<p>The MPs, during their protest, held up placards with slogans saying &quot;Save AP, Save Democracy&quot;, &quot;Follow Alliance Dharma Now&quot; and &quot;We demand Special Status for AP state&quot;.</p>

<p>Keeping its distance from the BJP ally TDP, the YSR Congress raised similar demands.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The TDP and the YSR Congress have asked for special status for Andhra Pradesh

MPs of the Telegu Desam Party and YSR Congress protested in the Lok Sabha on Monday demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh. The protests of the two rival parties led to the adjournment of the lower house of Parliament. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar responded to their demands, assuring them the issues raised will be looked into. He added that their demands were "very sensitive". TDP MPs protest in Lok Sabha over demand of special status to AP & other issues. Parl Affairs Min Ananth Kumar says, 'Want to tell my friends from TDP that their demands are very sensitive, PM & GoI are very sensitive about development of AP, matters raised will be looked into' pic.twitter.com/idqoLBbPUT — ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2018 × Delhi: YSR Congress Party held protest in Parliament over their demands of special status for Andhra Pradesh among others pic.twitter.com/lKNXTvhrLF — ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2018 × The NDA ally TDP also demanded concessions for the party. The party had already initiated efforts to press the centre for various allocations to Andhra Pradesh. It also expressed its dissatisfaction with the Union budget claiming it has no provisions for the state. The TDP MP also demanded implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act in "keeping with the promise" made by the BJP. The MPs, during their protest, held up placards with slogans saying "Save AP, Save Democracy", "Follow Alliance Dharma Now" and "We demand Special Status for AP state". Keeping its distance from the BJP ally TDP, the YSR Congress raised similar demands.

Demand for special status raised by Andhra MPs is sensitive: Government

<p>Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of Chandrababu Naidu, the BJP&#39;s biggest ally down South, is miffed with the Budget and has called an &quot;emergency meeting&quot; with party leaders on Sunday.</p>

<p>&quot;We are going to declare war. We have three options - one is to try and continue, two is our MPs resign and the third is to end the alliance. We will decide in the meeting with the chief minister on Sunday,&quot; said TDP parliamentarian TG Venkatesh in Delhi.</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;We are disappointed with the Union Budget presented today. Many pressing state issues like Railway Zone, Polavaram project funding, Funding for capital Amaravati and other pending issues of Andhra Pradesh are not addressed in the budget,&#39;&#39; news agency ANI quoted YS Chowdary, MoS Science &amp; Technology, TDP as saying. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Since Naidu took charge as chief minister four years ago, the ties between the BJP and TDP have ruptured.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


"The people and the party are disappointed with the Union Budget. Many state issues like the Polavaram project funding and funds for capital Amaravati were not addressed in the budget," said Chowdhary

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of Chandrababu Naidu, the BJP's biggest ally down South, is miffed with the Budget and has called an "emergency meeting" with party leaders on Sunday. "We are going to declare war. We have three options - one is to try and continue, two is our MPs resign and the third is to end the alliance. We will decide in the meeting with the chief minister on Sunday," said TDP parliamentarian TG Venkatesh in Delhi. ''We are disappointed with the Union Budget presented today. Many pressing state issues like Railway Zone, Polavaram project funding, Funding for capital Amaravati and other pending issues of Andhra Pradesh are not addressed in the budget,'' news agency ANI quoted YS Chowdary, MoS Science & Technology, TDP as saying. Since Naidu took charge as chief minister four years ago, the ties between the BJP and TDP have ruptured.

Miffed with 'raw deal' in Budget, TDP declares 'war' on ally BJP