Chandrababu Naidu Govt diverts Central funds for unknown purposes: Centre's Fact-sheet

The Centre has rejected Andhra Pradesh claims that it is being deprived of central funds for rapid development owing to the loss of revenue in the division of combined AP. On ther other hand, the Centre has charged the Chandrababu Naidu government with diverting funds and doing nothing concrete about building the new capital. Releasing the Fact-sheet, the Centre said a sum of Rs 1.72 lakh crore had been extended to AP since June 2014. A sum of Rs 1.12 crore had been disbursed to AP under different heads. This apart, road project works worth Rs 60,000 crore were allotted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The Railways had released Rs 20,236 crore for doubling of tracks and so on. The Defence Ministry set up projects worth Rs 5,700 crore for AP. The Commerce and Industry Ministry have lined up Rs 2,700 crore, of which Rs 1,900 crore had already been released. The HRD Ministry will spend Rs 7,000 crore for setting up Central institutes such as the IITs. About the revenue deficit of Rs 16,000 crore suffered by AP following the split, Rs 2,303 crore was released for 2014-15, apart from a grant in aid of Rs 6,609 crore. AP will get Rs 206,819 crore in the next 5 years as enhanced devolution, and Rs 29,734 crore per annum as the 14th Finance Commission grant for the next 5 years. The State was charged with diverting funds for other purposes. `Since nothing concrete has been finalised with regard to the new capital, we would not spend money theree,' the Fact-sheet added. It is, therefore, for the Chandrababu Naidu government to start doing concrete work on the capital without the ambivalence of temporary or permanent capital and not to turn Amaravati into real estate. The ball is clearly in the Chandrababu Naidu Government court to get down to capital construction and not to delay it for TDP leaders' controversial interests there.