No special status for AP!

New Delhi, April 24, 2015: Andhra Pradesh can now give up the hopes of getting special status. In a written reply to questions by TRS MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy and TDP MP Maganti Babu, Planning Minister Indrajit informed the Lok Sabha that the Centre has decided not to accord special status to any state in future. This means Andhra Pradesh will not get any sort of special status. "No state will be accorded special status from here afterwards. For the allotment of funds to states, the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission will be the only criteria," Indrajit said in his reply. He, however, added that special status given to 11 states in the past will continue in future also.