On the request of his daughter and Nizamabad MP K Kavitha, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao introduced a new scheme. He announced Rs 1000 pension per month to every patient suffering with lymphatic filariasis (Filaria). The new scheme will benefit the identified nearly 47,000 people who are suffering from filariasis.

Kavitha brought to KCR notice that several cases of filariasis were reported in her Parliamentary Constituency and also other areas in the state. She told the CM the victims are toiling to lead a normal life as they are denied jobs with body abnormalities.

Responding to Kavitha’s request to provide help to the ailing persons, KCR called an emergency meeting with Health department officials and announced the new pension. It will provide relief to more than 40,000 patients. KCR also decided to take up a village level survey and extend the pension scheme to all patients. Kavitha thanked Chief Minister for announcing the new scheme.

In a historic decision, Andhra Pradesh state government has convinced the Centre to its reasonable demands. The Union Government has conceded to fill the AP’s deficit budget and implement the promises it made in AP Reorganization Act 2014.

Five days after the protests of Andhra Pradesh MPs, particularly from TDP, and CM Chandrababu Naidu’s repeated statements, BJP-led government agreed to immediately release the financial assistance for the 10 months in 2014-15 owing to the recommendations of 14th Finance Commission. Apart from this, the Central government has also agreed to provide the pending financial assistance for the three years – 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 – all at once.

Union Minister of Science for Science & Technology & Earth Sciences YS Chowdary (Sujana Chowdary) has interacted with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goel and BJP National President Amit Shah. After an elaborate two-and-half-hour discussion, Finance Minister said to have agreed to clear all the pending dues from the Centre to the State. It is learnt that Jaitley has asked for the accounts of expenditure for the construction of AP’s Capital City Amaravati so far and promised to clear that amount as well.

Jaitley said to have directed Railway Minister Piyush Goel to immediately announce Special Railway Zone to Visakhapatnam and the announcement from Railway Minister is likely to be made anytime sooner. Meanwhile, Arun Jaitley told YS Chowdary that a Port can’t be built in Dugarajapatnam port as mentioned in the Act due to “security” reasons. Jaitley, however, promised to build the port at anyother location proposed by the state government along with giving all clearances from the Centre.

In lieu of the Special Category Status, Jaitley agreed to give financial assistance to AP. It’s reliably learnt that the Special Package funds would be adjusted towards the gap in funds for the Externally-Aided Projects (EAPs). Apart from these, the Union Government has also agreed to set up the Petro Chemical Complex in AP. In its latest promise, the Centre has also agreed to build Integrated Steel Plant in Kadapa based on natural iron ore available in the region. However, this will be built with Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode. It’s learnt that the Centre has told YS Chowdary that MECON company would give its detailed report in two days (Feb 12).

Earlier

With huge uproar from people, leaders of AP over Jaitley’s ‘lackluster’ speech in Parliament that lacked substance, Jaitley clarified to YS Chowdary that the above statements couldn’t be made in Parliament due to the rules, regulations. On the whole, the Centre has bowed down to the pressure mounted by the TDP leaders. Looks like, TDP has won its preliminary battle in Parliament. The rest depends on the execution.

YSR Congress Rajya Sabha member Vijaysai Reddy on Friday demanded to know as to whom from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members were demanding justice by protesting in the house.”The members of the TDP who are also part of the ruling dispensation at the Centre, they are demanding justice. They are in power at the Centre (as NDA coalition partners) as well as in the state (Andhra Pradesh). From whom are they demanding justice? It is them who should give justice to the people of Andhra Pradesh,” Reddy said in the House.

“Yesterday (Thursday), the Chairman has given a ruling that one cabinet minister can give a suggestion to another. I would like to know from the Chairman if there is any rule under which a minister can give an assurance to another minister, especially considering that both are Ministers of State in their respective ministries?” he asked.On Thursday, members from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in the Rajya Sabha, cutting across party lines, had raked up the issue of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and demanded a solution to the crisis.

In an attempt to resolve the issue, Naidu allowed Minister of State for Science and Technology Y.S. Chowdary, of the TDP, to give suggestions over the demand of special status to Andhra Pradesh.”If government is willing there are some issues of special status category. My request to the government is that if they can commit to resolve the issue in 15 days. The Finance Minister should address this concern in his reply to the budget speech,” he had said.

Responding to the demand, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel assured that the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will address the issue during his reply to the budget debate.Some opposition members objected to this “unprecedented” exchange of communication between the two ministers inside the House, wondering how could a minister “advise” his own government inside Parliament, that too after the Budget had been presented.

The Chairman, however, clarified that the Minister had given suggestion to find out a solution.”There is no constitutional misuse. If anyone wants to give suggestion, he can give. A minister as a member of his political party can give suggestion. He has not protested but gave suggestions to resolve the issue,” he said.

On Friday, raising the issue again, Vijaysai Reddy pointed out that Chowdary began his speech “on behalf of the government of India” but in the end “requested” his own government to do justice to Andhra Pradesh. “Is he (Chowdary) part of the government or not? First he should resign from the government and then ask for the justice. Justice to Andhra Pradesh can be done only after they (TDP) resign from the government,” he said.

At a time when all the MPs from Andhra Pradesh belonging to all parties, barring the Bharatiya Janata Party, have been stalling the proceedings of Parliament demanding justice to Andhra Pradesh in the Central budget, only Andhra MP remained calm and did not take part in the agitations.

She is Kothapalli Geetha, Lok Sabha MP from Araku parliamentary constituency.She did not utter a word or raised slogans, when all the others were shouting at the top of their voices and staging dharnas inside and outside the House.This surprised many including those in the TDP as well as YSRC.

Though technically she is still in YSRC, she moved with the TDP later.For that matter, two other YSRC MPs Butta Renuka of Kurnool and S P Y Reddy of Nandyal also joined the TDP MPs in protest.

On Friday, however, Kothapalli Geetha opened her mouth and lashed out at both the YSRC and TDP for enacting dramas in the name of agitations in Parliament.

While attacking YSRC for targeting the TDP instead of BJP for ditching the state, Geetha attacked the TDP for its double standards on special category status.

“How can the TDP which sacrificed the special category status for special package can now demand the status again? How can Naidu who claims to have achieved double digit growth can now demand special status? Why is he not accounting for the funds already sanctioned by the Centre?” she asked.

She also found fault with YSRC president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy for saying that his party would join hands with the BJP if the Centre gives special category status.

“How can the Centre, which did not grant special status while having the tie-up with the TDP, give it for forging alliance with the YSRC?” she asked.

Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu might be afraid that the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre would dig out the files, foist cases of corruption against him and throw him behind the bars.

But, he should not be worried about being jailed, because it would only fetch him a lot political mileage, according to former Congress MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar. In a chat with a television channel, Vundavalli said first of all, there was nothing against Naidu in cash-for-vote issue that would make him go behind the bars.

“Even if he is jailed, it does more good than harm. He will get a lot of sympathy among the people, as they feel the Centre was harassing him for fighting for the rights of the state. They will vote him to power again with big majority,” Vundavalli said.

He said Naidu should show the same kind of courage against the BJP that he had shown to dethrone his father-in-law N T Rama Rao from power.“It will do a lot of good for the state,” the former MP said.

He observed that the BJP was, in fact, on a weak footing because it is gradually losing the faith of the people. The other allies of the NDA are also angry with the BJP and within the party, too, there is a disgruntled group.

“So, it is high time, the TDP intensify its fight against the BJP. Naidu has nothing to lose,” Vundavalli added.