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Tell 15th Finance Commission on injustice meted out to State: Chandrababu Naidu
In a lastditch bid to exert pressure on the Central government to implement the AP Reorganisation Act and fulfill all promises made to the State while passing Bifurcation Bill, the State government has decided to inform the Fifteenth Finance Commission FC about the injustice done to AP
Amaravati: In a last-ditch bid to exert pressure on the Central government to implement the AP Reorganisation Act and fulfill all promises made to the State while passing Bifurcation Bill, the State government has decided to inform the Fifteenth Finance Commission (FC) about the injustice done to AP.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu hoped that the Finance Commission could save the State government and five crore population. Naidu urged officials to present a detailed picture of the State, particularly since 2014, in front of the Finance Commission during a review meeting on the memorandum to be submitted to the Commission held at the Secretariat on Friday.
The Commission is visiting AP on October 10, 11 and 12. The State government has been demanding implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act in true spirit, bridging of revenue deficit and according Special Category Status and implementation of other promises.
It is also opposing the Central government’s proposal for considering 2011 Census as Terms of Reference for devolution of funds by the Finance Commission. The State is demanding that the 1971 data should be used as the basis for devolution of Central funds to the States.
Peeyush Kumar, Secretary for Finance Department, speaking to The Hans India, informed that the State government hoped that the Finance Commission would consider the requests of State government, since it is a Constitutional body. Unlike other agencies, it has some powers in determining the State and Central funds.
He pointed out that the Union government has also been implementing the suggestions of Finance Commissions, for instance the present government has increased devolution of funds to States from 32 per cent to 42 per cent based on its recommendations. He said there were many structural and fundamental changes that took place following the bifurcation of the State.
Chandrababu Naidu said, “We need to ask the FC to spell out its stance on the SCS. We will not get a better opportunity other than this to highlight the injustice meted out to the State.”
The Central government denied sanction of SCS by arguing that the 14th Finance Commission did not recommend it to AP. By raising the issue with the visiting members of the 15th Finance Commission, the State government aimed to increase pressure on the Central government.
Chandrababu Naidu alleged that NITI Aayog became a dummy organisation and the Planning Commission was not there to address the State’s concerns. The National Development Council meeting was not being convened, he pointed out. There is no other suitable platform to raise the State issues other than the 15th Finance Commission, Naidu told the officials.
“At this juncture, the 15 FC is the best available forum to bring the State issues to the notice of the Centre,” he said. Chandrababu Naidu regretted that AP was made a scapegoat for political gains by successive governments.
