HYDERABAD: State Finance Minister T Harish Rao has once again sought release of pending dues from the Centre. In a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman dispatched on Saturday, he has appealed to the Centre to release the pending dues, which include backward grants region funds, 14th Finance Commission funds to local bodies, special grant recommended by the 15th Finance Commission and the fund for Centre-sponsored schemes being implemented in Telangana, besides IGST settlement dues.
“The grants under section 94(2) of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, for the development of backward areas for the years 2019-20 and the current year, amounting to Rs 900 crore, are yet to be released. As you will appreciate the yearly grant of Rs 450 crore being sanctioned by the Central government falls short of the required Rs 30,751 crore, and the amount of Rs 24,205 crore recommended by Niti Aayog. In addition to the release of Rs 900 core, I earnestly request that the grant may be extended for five years beyond 2021-22,” Harish Rao said in the letter.