(Image source from: Twitter.com/ani)

Arun Jaitley About Special Status And Special Package:- With huge noise across Andhra Pradesh for the Special Category status, the Centre clarified that it wouldn’t be possible. With lot of speculations doing rounds, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley met the press to reveal about the support the Centre has been lending for AP and about the differences between special package and special category status. Here are the highlights of his speech:

We are giving special packages for all the backward states.

No Special status for any status is given.

With AP lacking funds, we are offering special package to the state.

With Eastern states too backward in revenue, we offered special status.

90% funds of the Central government programs will be funded by the Centre for five years.

As far as revenue deficit is concerned, it will be for 10 months.

We never said that we will not allot funds for Andhra Pradesh.

We have discussed all these with the special committee that AP Government has sent.

There is a tax incentive for first two years and we even allowed other concessions.

Sentiment cannot decide special status for AP and we follow the constitutional observations.

For North Eastern states and three hill states in the country, the Finance Commission suggested special status.

Special package also gives the same monitory benefits as Special status category benefits.

Central government stands by its committment for each and every state in the country.

(Video Source: TV9 Telugu)