The Telugu Desam Government has fudged figures just to enable the State to get more loan, leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council and former Minister C. Ramachandraiah said.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, he said that the government had shown a 10.9 per cent growth in the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in the State budget. The growth rate in the GDP shown by the Central Government was just 7.3 per cent. This figure itself raised several eyebrows in the international community as the world was going through a recession.
The Central Government justified the increase in growth by showing a 35 per cent increase in revenues.
To show a growth of 10.9 per cent in the GSDP, the State should have registered a revenue increase of at least 50 per cent.
“The growth should reflect in the flow of funds. The high GSDP was shown to enable the State Government to get bigger loans,” Mr. Ramachandraiah said.
Wondering how the State government could have registered an increase in revenue, he questioned, “Was there a sudden increase in industrial or agricultural activity in the State?”
“There is virtually no service sector left in the State after bifurcation. Where is the increase in revenue coming from?” he asked.
Budgetary allocations to all the major sectors like agriculture, irrigation, and power subsidies had been slashed, he said.
While the term of the Chief Minister ends in another three years, his budget speaks about Andhra Pradesh becoming the number one State in 2029.
In his earlier stint as Chief Minister, Mr Naidu ruined the economy with his Vision 2020, he said.
“Now, Mr. Naidu is coming up with vision 2029,” Mr. Ramachandraiah said.
Mr. Naidu accusing farmers of the capital area of ruining the “brand image” was ridiculous, he said.
Attempts were being made to build the new capital on a “foundation of corruption.”
It was also ridiculous for the Chief Minister, who goes to the Davos forum, to say that he did not know what “insider trading” was.
It was clear beyond doubt that people bought land in the area because it was going to be made the capital.
“Are there no other rich people in the State that only these people bought land there? It is unlikely for foreign firms, particularly those from Singapore, to invest in the capital where there is so much corruption. Singapore companies are zero corruption companies,” he said.
“Every transaction of the State government in the past 19 month is tainted. And the person who took the lead at the conference inviting investment at Visakhapatnam was facing charges of defrauding a bank in Mauritius. If this is not enough to damage the brand image of the State, what is?” Mr. Ramachandraiah asked.
There is no service sector left in the State after bifurcation. Where is the increase in revenue coming from?
C. Ramachandraiah
Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council
