30th Southern Zonal Council Meeting: AP State Bifurcation Issues, Polavaram Funds Priority on State's Agenda

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed officials to raise unresolved key issues still pending even after eight years after the State bifurcation, to be taken up for discussion at the 30th Southern Zonal Council (SZC) meeting to be held on September 3.

The Chief Minister will not be attending the meeting due to other prior commitments. However, State Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath would be leading the AP delegation that comprises Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma and other senior officials at the meeting.                       

The Chief Minister while speaking at a  high-level preparatory meeting ahead of the SZC meeting held on Monday said that the State has suffered due to the long delay in resolving the issues pertaining to the bifurcation.

As per reports, a total of 19 subjects related to the State have been listed on the agenda for discussion related to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Earlier the State had asked the Centre to complete the legal division of assets which was estimated at about Rs 1,42,601 crore pending to the State. 

The CM had also requested for a committee to be constituted under the chairmanship of the Union Home Minister to resolve inter-State issues within a specific time frame which was yet to be done.

The Chief Minister also instructed officials to raise the Polavaram Project issue at the SZC meeting and seek funds for its completion at the earliest.

The SZC meeting will be held at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala on Saturday, which will be chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Interstate issues like sharing of river water, coastal security, connectivity, and other issues of common interests will be discussed.

The Southern Zonal Council comprises Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The meeting will be attended by chief ministers, ministers, chief secretaries, principal secretaries and senior officers of the member states, and senior officers of the central government, a home ministry official said. (with inputs from TNIE, Agencies)

Also Read: Kerala to Host 30th Southern Zonal Council on Sep 3