Naidu launched false campaign on debt burden earlier: Jagan
Jagan also rejected Naidu’s claims that the YSRCP govt had neglected the Polavaram project causing huge loss to the state
YSR Congress Party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday accused Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu of unleashing a false propaganda against the previous government under the guise of releasing white papers.
Speaking to reporters at his camp office, Jagan said during the elections, Naidu had launched a false campaign stating that the debt burden on the state was ₹14 lakh crore, but after coming to power, the chief minister scaled it down to ₹10 lakh crore. “However, the actual debt of the state government by June this year stands at ₹5,18,708 crore. At the time of bifurcation of the combined state, the total outstanding liabilities of the state were ₹1,53,347 crore and by May 2019 when Naidu lost power, they went up to ₹4,08,710 crore,” he said.
He said the YSRCP government had directly transferred ₹2.70 lakh crore to beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes over the past five years and added that even though state received ₹5,655 crore from the Centre on June 10, and the treasury had about ₹7,000 crore by June 12, Naidu opted for a Vote on Account to avoid fulfilling his promises.
On the law and order in the state, the YSRCP president said that the state had become unsafe for women after Naidu took over as the CM 45 days ago, with as many 12 rape cases being reported during this period.
With regard to sand policy, the former chief minister said the previous YSRCP government had sold sand at ₹375 per tonne, generating an annual revenue of ₹765 crores for the government implementing a clear and transparent sand policy. “But now, the Naidu government is supplying sand at a higher rate, though it is claiming to supply sand free of cost,” he said.
He said revenue from the mines and geology department was ₹2,200 crore in 2018-2019 and it rose to ₹4000 crore by the end of YSRCP government’s tenure in 2023-24. The revenue of Andhra Pradesh mineral development corporation was ₹400 crore in 2018-19 while it increased ₹3200 crores by the end of 2023-24, he said.
Jagan also refuted the allegations of Naidu that the previous YSRCP government had neglected the Polavaram project causing huge loss to the state. He said it was because of unscientific works that the diaphragm of the dam suffered damages due to the heavy floods.
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 YSRCP government did not grant new permits to any distilleries or approve any new liquor brands. “The so-called unknown brands being referred to by Naidu were approved on November 22, 2017, during his tenure. The TDP government approved nearly 15 brands of whiskey and brandy and 14 out of 20 liquor distilleries in the state were approved during Naidu’s regime.”.
He also condemned the allegations of TDP on poor quality liquor and said the tests on liquor sample revealed that there is no poor quality in liquor.