New Delhi, July 17: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and sought increased financial assistance from the Centre, citing continued fiscal stress in the southern state following years of post-bifurcation strain.
Naidu, whose Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is a key ally in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, discussed a range of development priorities and urged the central government to step up support for critical infrastructure and welfare projects.
According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, Naidu thanked the central government for assistance extended during the previous year’s economic crisis but noted that the state still faced a “severe shortage of financial resources.”
He called for sustained central backing to help restore economic stability and highlighted key funding needs. Naidu also requested that the 16th Finance Commission consider the financial setbacks incurred by Andhra Pradesh during the state’s bifurcation in 2014 when allocating funds.
A major focus of the talks was the proposed Polavaram-Banakacherla link project, aimed at diverting 200 TMC of floodwater from the Godavari River to the Banakacherla regulator in Kurnool district. Naidu emphasized that this interlinking project would be critical for drought-prone areas, particularly in Rayalaseema, and asserted that Andhra Pradesh had a rightful claim over the surplus water as the last riparian state on the Godavari.
Naidu also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Donald Trump, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Union government for appointing senior TDP leader and former Union Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju as the new Governor of Goa.
Earlier in the day, NITI Aayog Member V.K. Saraswat met Naidu at his Delhi residence, where the two discussed plans to establish aerospace and defence industries in Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Minister noted the government’s intent to promote defence investments in the Rayalaseema region and emphasized its industrial potential.
Naidu also held talks with Delhi Metro Rail Managing Director Dr. Vikas Kumar, focusing on technical collaboration and investment for upcoming metro rail projects in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada.
The meetings come as Naidu’s administration attempts to accelerate development in Andhra Pradesh amid efforts to attract national and international investment to bolster the state’s economic recovery.
