Andhra CM Jagan Mohan to meet PM Modi, may attend Apex Council meet tomorrow

Source:-newindianexpress

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is likely to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to discuss issues related to the State, including the recent political developments. The meeting comes close on the heels of Jagan’s meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on September 22 and 23, when the Chief Minister, apart from seeking the release of pending dues, reportedly discussed political developments.

Jagan, who will leave to New Delhi on Monday, is likely to apprise Modi of the friction with the High Court. He will also request the Prime Minister to order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the Amaravati land scam and Fibernet scam of the previous TDP government and the recent Antarvedi chariot fire incident.

After meeting Modi, Jagan is likely to participate in the Apex Council meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao via video conference from the national capital itself. Water Resources department officials will fly to New Delhi to be present with the Chief Minister during the Apex Council meeting.

The State government has decided to push for notification of the jurisdiction of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) in the second Apex Council meeting so that operational control of all projects will be under the boards’ control. If operational control is not handed over to the river management boards, the State may seek control over the Nagarjuna Sagar Right Canal, which is topographically present in Andhra Pradesh.

Officials will also impress upon the Centre the factors that necessitated the government’s proposal of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme to draw AP’s rightful share of water.

“We will once again impress upon the Centre to notify the jurisdiction of KRMB and GRMB so that the boards will have operational control as we have repeatedly asked in the past and as the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 states. If not, control should be given to the respective States; like the left power house is in Telangana’s control, Nagarjuna Sagar Right Main Canal should be in our control,” sources in the Water Resources department said.

The State government will seek implementation of the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, which state that the boards must be given jurisdiction for the administration, regulation, maintenance and operation of the projects. “The Act also says the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will assist the boards in the operation and management of the projects. It hasn’t been implemented. Nagarjuna Sagar Right canal, which is in AP, is not under our control and we have a disadvantage on that front. So, this anomaly should be corrected if the boards’ jurisdiction isn’t notified by the Centre,” the official added.

The letter written by Chandrasekhar Rao had also come up for discussion during the review meeting, and Jagan decided to just stick to the agenda items decided by the Apex Council. “We don’t want to get into a point-by-point rebuttal. We will stick to the agenda. We will impress on the Centre that the project is to draw the rightful share of AP. As per the June 2015 agreement between both States, which even the Centre is a party to, Rayalaseema projects can utilise 113.04 TMC water. That working arrangement is in force even now. So we will convey the same. Regarding a discussion on water allocation between the States, we will politely convey that it falls under the purview of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal’s purview but not the Apex Council’s,” sources added.

During his interaction with Modi, Jagan is likely to submit a representation, seeking clearance of pending dues to the State from the Centre. The CM is expected to seek the pending 14th Finance Commission grants for local bodies amounting to Rs 2,253.52 crore, GST compensation dues of Rs 3,622.07 crore, Polavaram dues of Rs 4,006 crore, pending 2014-15 revenue deficit grant of Rs 18,830.87 crore, pending capital development grant of Rs 1,000 crore, among other things. Jagan had last met Modi in February.

Jagan to meet Modi in New Delhi tomorrow
According to sources, Jagan will leave for Pulivendula on Monday morning to participate in a family programme, and reach Vijayawada before leaving for New Delhi. As per his earlier schedule, he was to leave for the national capital from Kadapa at 3.25 pm, but it is learnt that there was a change in the programme. The Chief Minister will stay overnight in New Delhi and meet the Prime Minister on Tuesday.