Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy on Friday accused the Telugu Desam Party of launching a misinformation campaign against the government.
“The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is misleading people on the condition of the State’s finances by fudging figures and misinterpreting various economic indicators to suit its narrative. Yanamala Ramakrishnudu is driving the misinformation campaign against the government,” Mr. Rajendranath Reddy said.
In a press release on Friday, Mr. Rajendranath Reddy said the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in 2019-20 was 7.23% and the growth rates in agriculture, industrial and services sectors were 7.91%, 10.24% and 6.20% respectively. These were achieved in spite of the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, he claimed.
In 2019-20, A.P stood in third position in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) index and fourth in the previous year (2018-19).
As per the NITI Aayog reports, A.P. currently stands in fifth and sixth positions in poverty eradication and reduction of inequalities. During the TDP regime, A.P. was in the performance category of the SDG index whereas it is now among the frontrunners, he said.
Mr. Rajendranath Reddy said that the TDP calculated the real growth rate on the basis of current prices instead of constant prices which should be the norm. The TDP did it with an intention to malign the government, he said.
Figures related to the pandemic period were also factored in and farm sector growth was hidden as part of the TDP’s propaganda. The picture during the pandemic would be obviously bleak, he said.
The GSDP growth in 2018-19 (the year before YSR Congress took over the baton from the TDP) was a paltry 4.88%, the FM observed. He suggested to Mr. Ramakrishnudu to use his experience for public good rather than to blame the government for things that are beyond its control, including the TDP government’s failures, Mr. Rajendranath Reddy said.
