Jaitley promises special package for Andhra Pradesh

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday assured the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) that announcements would be made soon on a special package for the State and four of the other 19 demands of the party.

The assurance came at a late-evening meeting between a TDP delegation, led by Union Minister Y.S. Chowdary and State Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, and BJP president Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in North Block. State BJP president Hari Babu was also present.

According to sources, apart from the commitment on the special package, assurances were given for formation of a railway zone, establishment of a greenfield crude oil refinery and petrochemical complex in Kakinada and a steel plant in YSR Kadapa district.

While Mr. Jaitley has not given a definite timeline, he has said that they could be made before the Budget session ends on April 6. “We will brief Chief Minister tomorrow about Mr. Jaitley’s plan and he will take a final call about whether we need to continue our protests,” said a senior TDP leader.