E-Paper
Opp parties stage walkout of AP Assembly
Opposition parties TDP, CPI, CPM and BJP walked out of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Thursday alleging large-scale diversion of funds earmarked under SC, ST sub-plans for the state.
Opposition parties TDP, CPI, CPM and BJP walked out of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Thursday alleging large-scale diversion of funds earmarked under SC, ST sub-plans for the state.
The Praja Rajyam Party and Lok Satta Party too registered their protest on the issue even as the Congress government was caught on the defensive.
The matter was raised by senior Congress MLA D L Ravindra Reddy, who pointed out that the SC, ST sub-plan was not being implemented properly in the state.
He also referred to the Planning Commission of India's report that found fault with the state government for not utilising the sub-plan funds properly.
The TDP, CPI, CPM, PRP and BJP MLAs joined chorus on the issue and cornered the government saying there was large-scale diversion of funds meant for SCs and STs.
"In the last five years more than Rs 10,000 crore earmarked under SC, ST sub-plans remained unspent. The amount spent were used for irrelevant works like construction of Hyderabad Outer Ring Road, improvement of Hussain Sagar lake, development of Krishnapatnam port and other works," Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu alleged.
Of the Rs 5000 crore allotted for SC welfare during the current fiscal, only 32 per cent were utilised, he said.
