Vijayawada: Blacklisting of AP by banks shameful says Nadendla Manohar
Jana Sena Party political affairs committee chief Nadendla Manohar addressing the media along with other party leaders at party headquarters in Mangalagiri on Friday
Vijayawada : Touch the common man where it hits him most seems to be the strategy of TDP-Jana Sena alliance, which is fast working out issues that could set the agenda for the poll campaign that would become intensified from January.
A clear indication of this was available from the emphasis laid on the issue of blacklisting of Andhra Pradesh by international banks like Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and New Development Bank, who extended loans for the development of roads in the state.
Both these banks had provided funds for development of road network but the government diverted them to other schemes and when the government failed to take corrective measures despite the bank raising objections, they stopped the loan disbursement and cancelled the road projects, according to political affairs committee chairman Nadendla Manohar.
He said social media was full of memes and leaders of political parties in the neighbouring states were cracking jokes on the pathetic road conditions in AP.
Manohar said that there are two types of projects. Under the AP Roads and Bridges Reconstruction Project, it has been proposed to upgrade the 1,231 km single line roads into double line road. In addition, it was also proposed to construct 1,297 km roads to connect the villages to mandal headquarters. The project which cost Rs 6,400 crore included the construction of 18 bridges.
The New Development Bank sanctioned loan of Rs 4,771.56 crore for the project and the rest of Rs 1,668 crore should be borne by the state government and released Rs 245 crore but the state government did not give its share of the fund for the project.
After the state government sent a report to the bank that 4.98 percent of the work was completed, the Bank cancelled the project. As a result, construction of roads and bridges had stopped. Manohar said that so was the case of funds of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
Manohar said after coming to power, the TDP-Jana Sena government would certainly probe into the misdeeds of the YSRCP government and the persons responsible would be punished.