From decentralization plan to COVID vaccine drive, key highlights of Jagan-Shah meet

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday lasted for approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes. Sources informed that during the meeting, CM Jagan discussed several matters with the Union Home Minister including approval for the Second Revised Cost Estimates (RCE), decentralization of capital activities, issue of notification for setting up of Kurnool High Court, the special station for Andhra Pradesh, revenue deficit, and permit for Covid vaccination and medical colleges. 

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Highlights of CM Jagan & Amit Shah meeting

While stating that as per the recommendation of the Polavaram Project Revised Cost Committee (RCC) taking into account the 2017-18 price index, the project cost will be Rs 55,656.87 crore, Jagan Mohan Reddy asked Amit Shah to approve the Second Revised Cost Estimated (RCE) to this effect. He also requested the Union Minister to give directions to the Department of Hydropower as well in this regard. 

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Asserting that Andhra Pradesh government is committed to decentralisation as a part of achieving a balance in religion-wide development, the Chief Minister said that the state government plans to decentralise capital operations, establish an executive capital in Vishakhapatnam, a legislative capital in Amravati and a legal capital in Kurnool. Reddy further requested Shah that a re-notification should be issued for the establishment of a High Court in Kurnool.

As per sources, the two leaders had detailed discussions on the special status of Andhra Pradesh and both of them agreed that new industries and jobs will be created in the coming years. As the nationwide inoculation drive against COVID-19 started in India on January 16, the CM said that Andhra Pradesh is taking steps to complete vaccination of all health personnel in the next 10 days. 

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Andhra Pradesh's 'temple vandalism'

The state has seen a slew of attacks on temples - the latest being the desecration of Lord Ram idol in Sri Rama Swamy Devasthanam in Vizianagaram district. Hinting at an Opposition conspiracy behind the incidents, CM Jagan cited nine instances where the attack on the temples coincided with the launch of various welfare schemes by his government. The CM also described attacks on temples as "political guerrilla warfare" intended to defame Andhra Police and divert the attention of people from the work that his government is doing. Jagan has also constituted a 7-member State Level Communal Harmony Committee, along with district-level committees in a bid to tackle these incidents.

Jagan said, “Who benefits from smashing idols of God? Who benefits from anarchy in temples and chapels? Who benefits from provoking emotions and committing violence? Who benefits from making false propaganda that hurts people's faith? Vested interests are stooping to the level of even desecrating temples to gain political mileage. They are trying to divert public attention from government programs by resorting to attacks on temples."

On the other hand, Former Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu remarked, "In the last 19 months, over 120 attacks took place on temples. These attacks were going on according to a premeditated plan. Over 23 idols were demolished in six temples at Pithapuram. Durgamma temple was brought down in Guntur." BJP too has compared the current spate of attacks on temples to the destruction of Goa temples in the 16th century, alleging that the AP government was tacitly supporting a "particular religion".

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