The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday demanded that the State Government release a White Paper on the actual financial conditions in the State.
In an open letter to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, BJP senior leader Bandaru Dattatreyya alleged that the Chief Minister presented a rosy picture of the financial state of affairs to the Planning Commission at New Delhi. “You have stated that the State ranked 5th in development and welfare activities. You have stated that the State registered a growth of 8.18 per cent which is above national level. Percentage of poor has reduced from 29 per cent in 2004-05 to 21 per cent in 2009-10 which will be reduced further to 10 per cent by the end of 12th Five Year plan. The per capital income of the State was put at Rs 77,277, whereas, the national per capita income was Rs 68,747. You have also assured that the same will be increased to Rs 200,000 by the end of 12th Five Year Plan,” he said in the letter.
Dattatreyya said that the Chief Minister was successful in giving a cosmetic facelift and did a good job of window dressing by juggling with figures. Contrary to these claims, there is no financial discipline in the State. The State per capital cannot be compared with the national per capita since it depends upon many other national issues. The ground reality is that the prices of Essential Commodities like vegetables, food grains, oils, petrol and diesel prices have increased drastically, which is more than the National level price index. The brunt of this increase is taken by the real sufferers who are the lower and middle class people. Is this not lop-sided development? asked Dattatreyya.
“There is an acute shortage of power due to which many of Small and Medium Enterprises have been forced to close their commercial operations, which in turn resulted in largescale unemployment and financial crisis with bankers. The frequent and long power cuts have resulted in loss to farmers. There has not been production of even a single Megawatt of power in the State during the last two years,” the BJP leader alleged.
Quoting a statement of Reserve Bank of India, Dattatreyya claimed that about 15 to 20 per cent of Small and Medium enterprises have closed due to power shortage which resulted into default to bankers. Approximately 30 lakh of workforce engaged directly or indirectly in SMEs have lost their livelihood, according to a Private Financial Institution Survey, he said.
Dattatreyya also countered the Chief Minister’s claims over the growth in Agriculture Sector, R&B Roads and other departments.
“The State Government’s failure to act in time has resulted in such a financial crisis. The government should wake up from its deep slumber and come to terms with the realities on the ground and do everything possible immediately to increase employment opportunities by establishing skill development institutions across the State,” the BJP leader demanded. (INN)