By TCN News,
Hyderabad: State president of Welfare Party of India chapter Malik Moatasim Khan in his press statement said that the AP state Budget 2013-14 presented by Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, the state Finance Minister appears to be totally 'election driven' and a 'make-over' job.
The state government's claim that this budget is agricultural and social welfare oriented is irrational, he added.
According to WPI the presentation of exclusive agriculture action plan (or exclusive agriculture budget) to help in comprehensive development of the agriculture sector by FM is nothing but a deception. This is against the rules and regulations of the Legislative House and against the constitution.
Malik Motasim Khan stated, “In the Budget statement the figure shows that the A.P. government allocated a consolidated fund of Rs. 24,000 crore for agricultural sector to make it agriculture focused. But a close look, however, reveals something else. As per the segregated information out of the total Rs. 24,000 crore fund announced only Rs. 5,544 crore is allocated on account of agriculture development exclusively. And from the balance fund Rs. 13,800 crore is allocated for irrigation and Rs. 4,656 crore is allocated for power subsidy. This indicates that in the name of exclusive agriculture action plan the agricultural sector (farmers) are deceived. The government which come in power with the slogan ‘Free Power To Farmers’ completely backtracked by cutting down the current subsidies.”
WPI welcome the state government's allocations of Rs. 4,122 cr for Social Welfare Department, Rs.8, 585 cr for SC sub-plan, Rs.3, 666 cr for the tribal sub-plan and Rs.1,027 cr for minorities. But it also observed that there is no mechanism suggested to stop the diversion of funds, and distribution of the funds to the right persons.
WPI also stated that it is good to see that the funds have been allocated separately to SC sub-plan and ST sub-plan in proportion to their population. But when it comes to the minorities, the fund allocated is not in proportion to their population. WPI said they expect the state government to allocate the fund to the minorities in proportion to their population.
According to WPI the allocation of Rs.100 cr for natural disaster, decline in power subsidy and the announcement of 15 lakh jobs (under Rajive Rozgar Youjna) seem to be an imaginary works. It is due to the fact that the actual losses occurred during such natural disasters is many folds more than the allocated fund. On the one side decline in the power subsidy and on the other side regular increase in power tariff is an unclear phenomenon.
On the whole WPI note that Andhra Pradesh state government does not seem to be rational in drafting the budget and allocating the funds.