No timeframe for releasing funds: Jitender Singh

Vijayawada: The North-East region of the country witnessed tremendous development after the BJP-led NDA government appointed a separate ministry for its development, said Jitender Singh, Union Minister of State for North East Development and in PM Office, while interacting with newsmen here on Wednesday.

With the help of power point presentation, the Union Minister listed out a slew of developments that took place during the last years of NDA rule in the country. He maintained that demonetisation and GST have immensely benefited the society. Referring to Kovada nuclear plant, Jitender Singh said that the problem would be sorted out and the nuclear plant would be set up as per the schedule. 

Earlier, when he asked the media persons what was happening around, many of them promptly said that the state people are demanding special category status for the state. Then the Union Minister started defending the action of his party flatly accusing the TDP of walking out of the alliance. 

It was not possible for the Centre to meet the demand for special category status if other states also seek for it, the Union Minister said. “The Centre is ready to provide all possible help to the state but there could not be any timeframe for releasing of funds,” he said and added that there is no provision in the constitution regarding the timeframe.

When pointed out that even after four years the state doesn’t have legislature houses, high court or offices for any department, the Union Minister said that they will all come in due course of time. Jitender Singh said the TDP walked out of the alliance due to domestic compulsions. “The BJP did not ask the TDP to walk out of the alliance any time,” he added.

He denied the TDP charge that Rs 350 crore was taken back at the behest of PMO after releasing the same to the state government. “It has something to do with the Finance Ministry and the PMO has nothing to do with it,” he averred.

Though the Centre wanted to complete the Polavaram project, the Minister said state government has taken up the construction for the reasons better known to it. He also ruled out the TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s charge that BJP president Amit Shah sought submission of utilisation certificates for the Centre’s released funds.

The Minister said the BJP president said that UCs were not submitted properly. When pointed out being the head of the political party how could he ask for UCs, the minister said the Chief Minister is also the head of the political party and it was a query from the head to head.