VIJAYAWADA: Stating that revenues of the State stood low compared to the estimates of 14th Finance Commission, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the officials of Finance Department to urge the 15th Finance Commission to ensure justice to the State by allocating sufficient funds. “Highlighting the injustice done to the State, we should explain the needs of the State and make an appeal to the 15th Finance Commission to ensure justice to AP,’’ Naidu said.
As the representatives of the Finance Commission are scheduled to visit the State from October 9 to 11, the Chief Minister convened a meeting with Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu and other officials at his residence in Undavalli near here on Friday and felt that the Finance Commission should give handholding to the State to avoid financial burden on the people due to the structural problems. Despite being the only State in the country in terms of achieving double-digit growth rate, the structural problems were impeding its development.
The Centre is supposed to extend cooperation to resolve the problems of the State, but it is shirki n g aw ay f r o m i t s responsibilities, he said and asked the 15th Finance Commission to help the new State achieve financial progress. “Bifurcation of the State in an unscientific manner, coupled with the indifference of the Centre by failing to accord Special Category Status, implement the provisions of the AP State Reorganisation Act in toto and meagre allocation of funds for development of capital and seven backward districts, resulted in the State suffering from bifurcation blues even after four years of division,’’ he said.
He said that his government has interlinked rivers, expedited Polavaram project work and inaugurated 12 irrigation projects. He informed that three more projects are going to be inaugurated on Saturday and 40 more projects by April, 2019.
Bifurcation blues
AP could not generate revenue as per the estimates of 14th Finance Commission
Debt burden has increased more than expected
Income through industry and service sector is less than 2% in AP
Income through service sector in Telangana stands at 8%