The residual Andhra Pradesh, known as Seemandhra, can’t be accorded the status of special category State to provide extra Central aid under the current norms, the Planning Commission has said. “Andhra Pradesh (Seemandhra) does not meet National Development Council criteria (for special category state),” the Commission said in its presentation to Planning Minister Inderjit Singh Rao. This point is significant because the Union Cabinet headed by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on March 2 had directed the Commission to accord special category status to the successor of Andhra Pradesh (Seemandhra) for five years. Andhra Pradesh has been recently bifurcated into two States – Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. There are demands for according special category status (SCS) from States including Bihar, ...

Read More »