As the YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh led by CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy requires huge financial resources to fund its various welfare and developmental programmes in a big way, it is looking up to the Centre to release pending funds from the Centre.
On Friday, finance minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, along with a team of officials, met Union finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman to request the release of funds due to the state from the centre.
He also met Union minister of state for home G Kishan Reddy and is going to meet Union minister of state for finance Anurag Thakur and officials of Niti Aayog. Buggana was accompanied by state government’s chief advisor Ajeya Kallam, special chief secretary (finance) S S Rawat and special chief secretary (irrigation) Adityanath Das.
Buggana told reporters later that he had requested the Union finance minister to release funds for Polavaram project, backward areas development and for schemes mentioned in AP Reorganisation Act, besides arrears of Public Distribution System and Goods and Services Tax.
“We have also asked the Centre to sanction additional funds to the state as promised in the Reorganisation Act. The Centre has to reimburse Rs 3,500 crore towards expenditure incurred on Polavaram project, besides releasing GST dues of another Rs 3,500 crore. There is a delay in the release of funds due to Coronavirus effect,” the finance minister said.
Buggana pointed out that the state’s revenue had come down by 40 per cent in the last three months.
“So, we need the central support to overcome the crisis situation,” he asserted.