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Konathala seeks President’s intervention on funds release
The Central government in a patently detestable manner took back Rs 350 crore released in 2017-18 towards backward areas development. The fund comes to the state as a part of bifurcated Andhra Pradesh’s legitimate right as it forms part of the AP Reorganisation Act-2014.
Visakhapatnam: The Central government in a patently detestable manner took back Rs 350 crore released in 2017-18 towards backward areas development. The fund comes to the state as a part of bifurcated Andhra Pradesh’s legitimate right as it forms part of the AP Reorganisation Act-2014.
The Centre’s refusal to release these funds is contrary to section 46 (2) and 46 (3) of the Act, former minister Konathala Ramakrishna alleged. Ramakrishna wrote a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind to intervene in the issue to render justice to the state.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Konathala Ramakrishna said that Union Finance Ministry granted Rs 350 crore each for the financial years 2014-15, 15-16 and 2016-17 totaling of Rs 1,050 crore for the seven backward districts of Rayalaseema and north coastal Andhra.
The AP government had submitted the utilisation certificates to finance ministry for an amount of Rs 946.47 crore out of the total Rs 1,050 crore. Later, the Finance Ministry issued proceedings on February 9 this year releasing Rs 350 crore for the seven backward districts, Konathala Ramakrishna pointed out.
However, in a move, which was never ever heard, the Central government took back the funds that were released. “The Centre withdrew the funds on February 15, 2018 saying that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) did not approve the sanction”, Konathala Ramakrishna pointed out.
The Centre was promised a development package on the lines of Koraput-Balangir-Kalahandi special plan in Odisha and Bundelkhand special package in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The AP is urging for similar packages, since bifurcation of the state.
But the Centre has given Rs 50 crore for each backward district every year and even this meagre amount is taken back after disbursement, Konathala Ramakrishna said.
Ramakrishna urged the President to direct the Centre to immediately release the due amount of Rs 350 crore for 2017-18 for north Andhra and Rayalaseema backward districts.
