The Union government is funding a slew of welfare schemes, but the YSRCP dispensation in the State is claiming entire credit for it by giving every programme a new name, BJP State president Somu Veerraju has alleged.
Addressing the media here on Friday, Mr. Veerraju said the ‘Nadu - Nedu’ programme that focussed on development of schools was in fact a part of the Union government’s Sarva Siksha Abhiyan first launched by former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee.
“The Centre provides ₹5,000 crore annually to the State for development of schools and to ensure education is accessible to all. While its share is 60%, the State is expected to fund the remaining. This money is being diverted to the Nadu-Nedu programme,” he said.
Referring to the housing scheme, Mr. Veerraju said the Centre had sanctioned 16 lakh houses for the State and promised to give ₹1.9 lakh for each house built.
“But Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is claiming that the houses are being built by his government. In the ‘Jagananna Housing Scheme’, the State’s contribution is only 40%,” Mr. Veerraju said.
Polavaram
On the Polavaram project, he said the Centre had already given ₹11,300 crore of the ₹12,500 crore sanctioned. The Centre had agreed to give ₹1,800 crore and another ₹250 crore for tribal people under the R&R package. An amount of ₹430 crore would be released soon, he added.
Speaking about the railway zone, Mr. Veerraju said the party had urged the Railway Minister to release funds and speed up works. “A DPR for ₹190 crore has been sanctioned, but just ₹40 lakh has been released. We have asked the Railway Minister to release funds,” he added.
Mr. Veerraju said ₹10,000 crore was being given to the State annually under the MGNREG scheme.
State’s borrowings
Referring to the YSRCP leaders’ remarks that the Centre too was borrowing heavily, he said, “The Union government is taking loans to fund projects. And it includes ₹2 lakh crore for various road projects in the State. In contrast, the State is borrowing to fund the welfare schemes and create a vote bank.”
“While the Centre is laying four and six-lane roads in the State connecting various districts, the State government is unable to provide ₹2,000 crore for development of its roads,” Mr. Veerraju said.
Terming the Chief Minister’s tree plantation programme a farce, he said, “If Mr. Jagan’s figures are right, Visakhapatnam should have turned into a forest by now.”
VSP row
On privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, he said the disinvestment policy had first been introduced by the Congress government.
“Nobody is questioning when cooperative dairies, sugar factories and jute mills are being closed. The sugar factory in Anakapalle remains closed for want of a couple of crores of rupees. Nobody is questioning the State government on this,” he said.
MLC P.V.N. Madhav was among others present.
