TDP politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu has alleged that the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes are not benefiting the people as being claimed by the YSRCP government, adding that the per capita income (PCI) has drastically fallen during the YSRCP rule.
Addressing the media on Monday, he said as many as 16 States were implementing DBT schemes and compared to those, the PCI had drastically fallen in Andhra Pradesh. “The incomes of more than 97% of the households has come down. Poverty has gone up to 24 % in rural areas and 29 % in urban areas. Andhra Pradesh now stands in the fifth place in poverty and in 14th place in the hunger index in the country,” said Mr. Ramakrishunudu.
He said the State was in the third place in sustainable development during the TDP rule. “The YSRCP government must explain as to why other States have fared better than Andhra Pradesh in reducing poverty and achieving development goals despite COVID-19 pandemic crisis,” said the TDP leader.
Expenditure on health
Mr. Ramakrishnudu said that the State had spent 1.3% of the GSDP on health during the 2019-20 fiscal year when compared to the 4 % recommended by the 15th Finance Commission.
“The YSRCP government is claiming to have spent ₹27,710 crore through DBT during 2019-20 fiscal. The then TDP government had spent ₹18,000 crore on 17 welfare schemes. The incumbent government has scrapped all those schemes, which hardly yielded any benefit to the people. Hardly there was any correlation between the budget allocations and expenditure on welfare schemes as claimed by the government,” he said.
Mr. Ramakrishnudu further accused the State government of making ‘empty promises’. “The promises including the construction of 10 lakh houses per annum. Do the government and Housing Department have such a capacity to deliver?” he asked.
