PM Modi should clarify on support given to State, says Vinod Kumar

Hyderabad: Telangana State Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar on Monday demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify what has been given to the State other than implementation of promises made in the State Reorganisation Act.

Speaking to reporters here, he said the TRS has been fighting for the implementation of the promises made in the Act and putting pressure on the Centre; but it has not given anything new to the State.

He said the Centre has not given any special funding package or new schemes to the State so far. "No matter who is the Prime Minister, he has to implement the assurances made in the State Reorganisation Act but it is strange for Prime Minister Modi to say that he was doing the same," said Kumar. He clarified that the implementation of the assurances in the Act was the right of people of State.

He expressed ire at the PM for pouring thousands of crores of funds during his visits to BJP-ruled States. He said the PM, who came to Telangana to attend the BJP NEC meeting, did not mention anything about the release of funds to the State. He asked the PM if this was the Central policy.

Kumar explained that Modi had announced on Sunday that a mega textile park would be given to the State. "For the past eight years, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Minister KT Rama Rao and he himself have been asking the Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani for the mega textile park. After eight years, the PM had mentioned the textile park, he pointed out.

The TRS leader said Modi has not answered even a single question raised by the CM. Reacting on protocol violation, he said when the PM visited Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad on November 28, KCR was ready to extend a polite invitation as per the protocol. However, the PMO prevented him from doing so.

"The CM knows well culture and constitutional governance. The BJP leaders have no right to tell KCR about Sanskar," he asserted.