VIJAYAWADA: Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Botcha Satyanarayana has alleged that ‘gross mismanagement’ of finances by the previous TDP government led to piling up of debts. Though the exchequer was in a comfortable position to pay the salaries of employees, the minister said the government was finding it difficult to clear the pending bills.
Speaking to the reporters here on Thursday after a meeting with municipal commissioners, the minister said, “The State’s finances are in the red because of the financial mismanagement of the TDP government in the last five years beyond Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM). In MAUD alone there are about Rs 15,000 crore pending bills, making it difficult to sanction new projects. Ever since we have come to power, we are in the process of streamlining the irregularities.”
To a query on Anna Canteens, the minister explained that his government was in the process of drafting a policy where the canteen would be established near government hospitals. This way, he added, more people could avail the service. “We will shortly announce the policy,” he noted.
Talking about the coal shortage in thermal power plants, Botcha said procurement of coal from various sources was underway to ensure no power cuts.
Panel on night shelters soon
Botcha Satyanarayana revealed that the government would constitute a committee for the establishment of night shelters across the State. The committee would have six members — three officials and three members from NGOs — who would study how many homeless people are there, which areas they are in predominantly, and how many night shelters are needed and where. Botcha said that the committee would submit its recommendations
in 15 to 30 days