While the BJP is celebrating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s completion of two years in office, the Andhra Pradesh government is striving to get the promised funds released amidst claims that over Rs.1.40 lakh crore has already been given mainly in the form of project financing.
The BJP has in a status report circulated to district party presidents and in-charges on Wednesday stated that a sum of Rs.1,950 crore was given as ‘special financial assistance’ of Rs. 2,500 crore as per the recommendation of NITI Aayog in compliance with Sections 94(3) and 94(4) of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, for creation of infrastructure in the capital city Amaravati.
Of the balance Rs. 650 crore, Rs. 200 crore has been released as Central assistance and the balance is to be ‘adjusted’ for the next two financial years.
The Capital Region Development Authority had estimated that construction of Amaravati would cost around Rs. 52,000 crore.
Some BJP leaders have questioned the rationale behind planning such a massive project.
‘Capital funding’ has since become a major controversy with the BJP remaining tight-fisted with the excuse that the Centre has been releasing funds in a phased manner as and when the State submitted its plans for developing Amaravati into a world-class city.
Revenue deficit
Regarding the bridging of revenue deficit, the BJP has stated that A.P. has sought the release of Rs.11,474 crore out of Rs.13,777 crore for FY 2014-15. The deficit was originally pegged at Rs.14,410 crore.
The Central government released Rs. 2,304 crore on the basis of provisional, un-audited accounts for FY 2014-15 and Rs.500 crore for 2015-16. Besides, a sum of Rs.7,430 crore was released towards a part of the Rs. 22,113 crore- deficit that the 14th Finance Commission projected for 2015-20.
‘State should cooperate’
Visakhapatnam Special Correspondent reports:
The State government has to cooperate and also give speedy clearances to Central projects coming up in the State, BJP State president and member of Parliament from Visakhapatnam K. Haribabu said.
Addressing the media here on Thursday, Mr. Haribabu pointed out all these projects needed intervention of the State government which had to allocate land. It is unrealistic to expect that the entire allocated amount would be released in advance into the State government’s account, he said decrying the canards being spread by vested political interests on the Centre’s statement on investment in the projects.
