Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu took a dig at those who were making noise of special status and asked them not to lose sight of other needs of the state. He said state does need special status,but it needs much more to overcome the problems the division has created.

Unfurling the tricolor in a colorful ceremony organized in Ramakrishna Beach in Vizag, on the occasion of 69th Independence Day of Republic of India, chief minister lamented that the the successor state was experiencing the difficulties stemmed from unscientific division of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.

Vizag hosted this years I-Day as part of the state’s practice of celebrating the national festivals in districts as the state was deprived of the capital.

“Special alone is not adequate,” he announced in 34-page speech, stating that state badly needs central assistance in “completing Polavaram, developing new capital city, establishment of many institues, in setting up Vizag railway zone. Above all, we need centres helping hand in bridging the revenue deficit.” Naidu asked centre to extend liberal help to Andhra Pradesh to overcome the deficiencies thrown up the division of state.

In the backdrop of sonorous sounds of waves of Bay of Bengal, Naidu revealed his master plan to make the state drought proof by linking the rivers of the state. Pattiseema project, which would be inaugurated later in the day was the first step in linking Rivers Godavari and Krishna.

Appreciating Vizag for hosting the second I-day of AP after the division, he said ‘International Plate Review-2016’ is also going to be held in port city, in which 100 warships are expected participate and demonstrate their prowess. without naming the previous Congress regimes Naidu said the achievement state made during 1994-2004 was destroyed between 2004-2014.

Despite the odds, the chief minister said, Telugu state should bounce back like the never-tiring waves of Bay of Bengal.

He reiterated his resolve to finish the Polavaram project by 2019. ” The objective of Pattiseema, which is being completed in a record time of just 8 months, is to give Polavaram benefit four years in advance,” Naidu said.

Stating that state was passing through drough situation, because of minus 8 pc rain fall, Naidu state the extent of cultivation had fallen by 3.80 lakh ha. compared to last year.