VIJAYAWADA: Making public the letter written by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu accepting the special package and seeking Rs 17,500 crore under it, Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal on Tuesday threw an open challenge to the TDP supremo for a debate on his allegations of injustice done to the State by the BJP-led government at the Centre.
Accusing Naidu of adopting double standards, Goyal also cited a letter written by the State government four months after the TDP quit the NDA detailing the cost estimates of projects proposed under the special package.
Goyal on Tuesday unveiled the BJP election manifesto here, which promised to set up a permanent High Court in Rayalaseema, constitute a SIT to probe ‘irregularities’ during the TDP rule and restore lands (on request) to the farmers who had given them to Amaravati if it comes to power.
Goyal, who read out Naidu’s letter, dated October 24, 2016, launched a tirade against the TDP chief for taking several ‘U-turns’ on the Special Category Status (SCS) for political benefits.
“In the letter to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Naidu acknowledged that SCS ceased to exist following the recommendations of the 14 Finance Commission. He said his government worked out the possible grant of Rs 3,500 crore a year for five years, which the State would have received in the form of additional central share under the centrally-sponsored schemes, had SCS been accorded. It was his government, not us, that sought around Rs 17,500 crore in total,” he said.
Goyal also cited a letter written by the Finance Secretary of AP, dated July, 2018, detailing the cost estimates of the projects proposed under the special package. He explained that the revenue deficit of AP was calculated assuming that the State would bear 40 percent of the cost of central schemes, instead of 10 percent, as the 14th Finance Commission removed the distinction between planned and non-planned assistance. This amounted to Rs 22,113 crore, he noted. “Had it been calculated with 10 percent as base, the revenue deficit for 2015-20 would have been reduced to Rs 5,528 crore.
Then, the Modi government also agreed to give special package as asked by the State government. After receiving double benefit, Naidu is now misleading the public by demanding SCS for political reasons,” he criticised. Listing out the developmental projects and welfare schemes given to the State in the past five years, Goyal alleged that the TDP government did not cooperate with the Centre with respect to Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada metro projects, Dugarajapatnam port and Kadapa steel plant. He alleged that the State government did not provide the information sought for these projects, which led to the delay in their implementation. Goyal said the South Coast Railway with Visakhapatnam as headquarters would provide Telugu-speaking youth employment opportunities as the Railway Recruitment Board would function from there.
“I am throwing an open challenge to Chandrababu Naidu garu. You come to New Delhi any day and I am happy to debate with you on all the issues,” he said. Calling TDP a private company, Goyal said, “On one hand, it indulges in massive corruption to make profit, and on the other, all family members have become candidates of the party. The reality is they neither have leadership nor talent nor the support of the people. That is why Naidu is running away from probe, scared that the truth about his corruption would come out.” Stating that it was Naidu’s nature to ditch people, Goyal said BJP never ditches its partners. “The BJP will provide corrupt-free governance and will focus on development of the State. So, I appeal to the voters to vote the BJP to power,” he added.