VIJAYAWADA: BJP political feedback pramukh Lanka Dinakar has said the claims of Special Secretary (finance and economic affairs) Krishna Duvvuri on the State financial position, debts and economic progress are “far from truth”.
“If the statement of the special secretary is examined carefully, it makes sense that the State’s financial health is infected and it needs to be cured immediately,’’ Dinakar said. The statement indirectly says that Navaratnas are the root cause of the current situation of state finances due to unproductive expenditure without future revenue generating assets.
“If the government raised debts under the limits of FRBM Act, why did the State government agree to a reduction of nearly Rs 18,000 crore in future debts in the next three years?’’ he questioned. Dinakar said the impact of Covid-19 is nation-wide and not exclusive for AP but the State has outperformed even Bihar in terms of GSDP-debt ratio.
Dinakar said the special secretary, who spoke about Central tax collection, should also have given details of Central Grants, schemes and projects along with the share of taxes received from it. “The special secretary, however, tried to mislead the people of the State by showing only receipts of tax devolution from the Union Government,’’ he alleged.
“Those who are in charge of State financial management shall have an understanding of central financial management before comparing the State finance with that of the Centre as roles and responsibilities of the Union government are much more than that of the State government.
Dinakar said the people gave a chance to the YSRC believing that Jagan Mohan Reddy would perform better than the previous administration. “But the governance of Jagan became the worst of all,’’ the BJP leader alleged.