VIJAYAWADA: Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath lambasted the TDP and other opposition parties for resorting to malicious propaganda against the YSRC government on State finances. Speaking to newsmen here on Thursday, Buggana sought to know on what basis the opposition parties were stating that the State finances were in the doldrums.
“Andhra Pradesh’s debt has stood at Rs 4,28,715 crore and of which Rs 2,71,797 crore was that of the previous TDP regime. A sum of Rs 1,56,925 crore has been borrowed by the YSRC government. Compared to the growth rate of 22% in debts during the TDP regime, it is only 12% during the YSRC government as of date,” he explained.
Buggana also sought to know how could it be possible to borrow to the extent as being claimed by the Opposition without the knowledge of the Union Finance Ministry, CAG, RBI and other regulatory agencies. “In fact, in reply to a question raised by TDP MP Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar in the Rajya Sabha, the Centre stated that the TDP government had made an unauthorised expenditure of Rs 1.62 lakh crore between 2014 and 2019, he mentioned. On the State revenues, the Finance Minister said during the regime of former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu between 1999 and 2004, the erstwhile undivided State recorded a 12.4% increase in revenue. During the YSR regime between 2004 and 2009, the revenue increase was 21.6%, 14.4% between 2009 and 2014, and just 6% between 2014 and 2019. “In our government from 2019, 16.7% increase in revenue has recorded. Figures amply explain whose governance and financial management is better,” he asserted.
Mocking the TDP chief’s claim of providing 20 lakh jobs, Buggana demanded Naidu to explain about 5.3% unemployment during his regime. “Contrary to the claims of Opposition, unemployment has decreased to 4.1% by 2022-23,” he said.
On PF accounts, he said during Naidu’s regime (2018-19) they were only Rs 44,86,000 and they increased to Rs 60,78,000 in 2022-23 under the YSR government. The average GSDP of the State during 2014-19 was Rs 6,95,000 while it increased to Rs 10,24,000 during the current regime. Buggana demanded evidence for the Opposition claims of Rs 1.71 lakh crore pending bills. Buggana also took exception to Naidu’s name-calling spree during his public meetings and said they too can call Lokesh as Relangi etc, but their upbringing and culture is preventing them from doing so.
Describing Naidu as a political chameleon, who can change his colours according to the situation, the Finance Minister said, “At present, Naidu is engaged in allying with the BJP, Congress, JSP and every other party except YSRC. “All Naidu wants is to get back in power using any and all means,” he observed.