PM Modi urged to honour bifurcation promises

Visakhapatnam: The Forum for Development of North Andhra here on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to honour the commitments made in the AP State Reorganisation Act, besides continuing the Visakhapatnam steel plant in the public sector. In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister who is scheduled to visit the city on November 11, […]

Visakhapatnam: The Forum for Development of North Andhra here on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to honour the commitments made in the AP State Reorganisation Act, besides continuing the Visakhapatnam steel plant in the public sector.

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister who is scheduled to visit the city on November 11, the FDNA recalled that he had earlier visited the city in the years 2016 and 2019. “But no development has taken place in this area. Instead, your government has decided to sell off our prestigious Visakhapatnam steel plant which was established here with many sacrifices of Telugu people including 32 young lives. The AP State Reorganisation Act, 2014 is not being implemented in its true spirit and as a result this north Andhra region is pushed into further backwardness even after bifurcation,” it pointed out.

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The FDNA appealed to Modi to withdraw the decision to sell the steel plant, allot captive mines to it and run the plant with its full capacity by filling all top vacancies.

It also sought taking steps for full scale functioning of the railway zone with headquarters at Visakhapatnam keeping the Visakhapatnam division intact, complete the construction of Petroleum and Tribal universities and allot funds as part of special development package to north Andhra in accordance with the Act.

The letter was signed by FDNA general secretary A. Aja Sarma, vice-charman Dr. P. Rama Rao, treasurer BB Ganesh, president of Uttarandhra Rakshana Vedika SS Siva Sankar and Uttarandhra Journalist Front general secretary N. Nageswara Rao.