Release White Paper on State’s debts in last two years: CPI

‘Truth behind PAC chief’s allegations not being established’

The CPI has demanded that the State government release a White Paper on the loans borrowed by it in the last two years.

Addressing the media here on Thursday, CPI State secretary K. Ramakrishna said TDP leader and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Payyavula Keshav and Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy were engaged in a war of words over ₹41,000-crore “unaccounted for expenditure.”

“The truth behind the allegation is not being established. What is preventing the government from giving a reply to the Principal Accountant General’s letter even after two months? Why is the Finance Minister not confirming that the Bills are genuine?” Mr. Ramakrishna sought to know.

Referring to Mr. Rajendranath Reddy’s observation that every State would avail itself of loans, the CPI leader said the State’s finances were in the red.

“The situation is so worse that the loans taken from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) are not being credited into the government’s account but being adjusted against the old debts,” he said.

“There is no ambiguity in the division of debts of the combined Andhra Pradesh between the residuary Andhra Pradesh and Telangana soon after the bifurcation in 2014. The government should release a White Paper on the debts during the TDP rule and during the last two years,” Mr. Ramakrishna said.

Polavaram issue

Referring to the problems of the Polavaram project evacuees, Mr. Ramakrishna said that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had belied their hopes by cancelling his visit to the project site.

“The State and Union governments are blaming each other on the R&R package. As it is a national project, the Union government should bear the expenditure. An all-party team will visit Polavaram on Friday to express its solidarity with the displaced people,” he said.