Jagan terms white paper on Andhra Pradesh finances 'false propaganda'

Amaravati: YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday termed as false propaganda the white paper presented by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh Assembly on state finances.

Citing statistics, the former chief minister disputed the claims made by Naidu on the state's debts and liabilities.

Jagan Mohan Reddy claimed that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government had gone for higher borrowings between 2014 and 2019 compared to the debts during YSRCP rule of the last five years.

He slammed Naidu and TDP-led coalition government for what he called spreading false propaganda under the guise of white papers.

Addressing a press conference, Jagan said the government was not presenting a full budget for 12 months even after 52 days of coming into power.

He said that Chandrababu Naidu lacks the courage to present a regular budget and hence, he was opting for a Vote on Account.

"If he presents a regular budget, he would need to allocate funds for the deceptive promises made before the elections, but he is avoiding it because he doesn’t intend to implement those schemes sincerely," the former chief minister said.

The YSRCP chief said before elections, the TDP spread false propaganda claiming that the state debt was Rs 14 lakh crore but after election results claimed it to be Rs 10 lakh crore. However, as of June this year, the actual government debt stands at Rs 5,18,708 crore, he said.

He mentioned that when Chandrababu Naidu left office, the debt was Rs 2,71,798 crore and it was Rs 1,18,051 crore at the time of the state's bifurcation and referring to government guarantees, he said when Naidu left office it was 50,000 crore, and under YSRCP government, it increased to Rs 1,06,000 crore.

The total liabilities of the state were Rs 1,53,347 crore when Chandrababu Naidu took office, which increased to Rs 4,08,710 crore by the time he left with 21.63 per cent increase while the debt under YSRCP government increased to Rs 7,48,000 crore, with 12.90 per cent increase and therefore, it is evident whose tenure saw a higher increase in debt, he said.

He reminded that they (YSRCP-led government) had directly transferred Rs 2.70 lakh crore to beneficiaries through DBT schemes over the past five years and added that even though state received Rs 5,655 crore from the Centre on June 10, and the treasury had about Rs 7,000 crore by June 12, Naidu opted for a Vote on Account to avoid fulfilling his promises.

On the deteriorating law and order in the state, the YSRCP President said that the state has become unsafe for women, with 12 rape cases reported in the past 45 days.

He said the Chief Minister's son and former minister Nara Lokesh displayed a 'Red Book', issuing threats, with hoardings all over the state and questioned what message they are trying to convey.

Referring to sand policy, the former chief minister said the previous YSRCP government sold sand at Rs 375 per tonne, generating an annual revenue of Rs 765 crore for the government implementing a clear and transparent sand policy and added that though Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's government is promoting the idea of free sand, it is being supplied at higher rates than what was charged during YSRCP's tenure.

The YSRCP president said the revenue from the Mines and Geology Department was Rs 2,200 crore in 2018-2019 and it was Rs 4,000 crore by the end of YSRCP government's tenure in 2023-24, and the revenue of APMDC was Rs 400 crore in 2018-19 while it increased Rs 3,200 crore by the end of YSRCP's tenure in 2023-24

Refuting the allegations of TDP on Polavaram Project, the YSRCP president said the project works were not carried out systematically in the TDP's previous tenure and this led to the diaphragm wall being destroyed due to the heavy floods.

He said TDP agreed to complete the project at 2013-14 rates, meaning the estimated cost remained at Rs 20,398.61 crore and it was due to YSRCP government's efforts, the Central Water Commission (CWC) approved the revised project cost estimate of Rs 55,656 crore.

He claimed that the previous YSRCP government completed the concrete works related to the Upper and Lower Cofferdams, the tunnel work related to the hydel projects and the spillway making it easy for smooth flow of 26 lakh cusecs of water through the spillway.

Reacting to allegations on liquor policy, the YSRCP president said the liquor syndicate was rampant, leading to uncontrolled alcohol flow through permit rooms and belt shops during the TDP tenure from 2014–19.

He asserted that the YSR Congress government did not grant new permits to any distilleries or approve any new liquor brands and the brands President Medal and Hyderabad Blue Deluxe were approved on November 22, 2017, during Chandrababu Naidu's tenure as Chief Minister.

He pointed out that the TDP government approved nearly 15 brands of whiskey and brandy and added that there are 20 liquor distilleries in the state, of which 14 were approved during Chandrababu Naidu's tenure as Chief Minister.

The remaining six distilleries were approved by previous governments and confirmed that the YSRCP government did not approve any new distilleries.