Thursday, September 5, 2013

Deo demands special package

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Sep 4, 2013: Having understood that creation of Telangana is imminent by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh, Congress senior leaders from Seemandhra are pressing for special packages for the region.

Araku MP and union minister for tribal affairs and Panchayat raj, V Kishore Chandra Deo on Wednesday, put forth a charter of demands, which included a special package for the development of Andhra region before the Antony committee appointed by the Congress party to look into the issues of Seemandhra leaders in the event of state bifurcation.

He wanted the ‘package’ to be announced along with the union government’s decision regarding the formation of a new state.

“There has been a long standing demand for the creation of two Benches of Andhra Pradesh High Court at Vishakhapatnam and Kurnool respectively.  In the event of a new State of Telangana being created, a separate High Court should be immediately established at Vishakhapatnam for the state of Andhra Pradesh,” he said in the letter to the Antony committee.

He said the East Coast Railways headquarters which should have been located at Vishakhapatnam is unfortunately established at Bhubaneswar and demanded that the East Coast Zonal Headquarters must be shifted to Vishakhapatnam with the addition of Vijayawada Division.

He demanded setting up of an information technology park with cyber towers, an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), IIT,  metro rail services covering important destinations in greater Vishakhapatnam, a maritime research institute, central university for specialized post graduate courses including anthropological studies, agricultural and horticultural research institute, which can be located in East Godavari District to identify agro industries which can be established at various places depending on material available in different regions of Andhra Pradesh.

He also demanded for a tribal research institute in tribal areas, tribal university affiliated to the tribal university in amarkantak, state institute of rural development and local governance, skill development centres at every district headquarters with separate centres for tribal areas.

“Andhra Pradesh has a long coastline and also several hills along the Eastern Ghats.  This geographical location has immense potential for generation of several non-conventional energies. A series of wind power energy farms must be installed along the coastline and hill tops where wind energy is available  Mini hydel power plants with capacities to produce between 1 to 5 MW of power must be installed to harness fast flowing hill streams, cascades in hills,” he said.


Deo also demanded a special package for developing tourism along east coast as also in the hills should be provided.

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