Renaming the Central government schemes after the Chief Minister “is a shameful act that needs to be condemned,” Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan has said.
Addressing the media on completion of his two-day tour of Visakhapatnam district, here on Friday, Mr. Muraleedharan said he had interacted with a number of beneficiaries and “they all seem to be happy receiving aid under the Central government schemes, but are not aware that the money for the schemes has come from the Central government.”
PM SVANidhi vs Jagananna Thodu
Referring to a case in point, the Union Minister said, “I have interacted with a number of vendors who are beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi scheme. But the State government has doled them out as Jagananna Thodu. This is pitiable.”
“The people of Andhra Pradesh and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy should understand that the welfare schemes are not given by any individual or family. They are offered from the taxpayers’ money. No individual has the right to label the scheme under his or her name. Trying to gain mileage from the taxpayers’ money should be considered as a shameful act,” the Union Minister said.
‘Family rule’
Cautioning Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy against “establishing a family rule,” Mr. Muraleedharan said, “The nation’s mood is against family rule, and the quicker Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy understands this, the better it will be for him.”
Stating that development in the State had taken a backseat and that there was widespread resentment against the YSRCP, he said people were complaining of large-scale corruption and land-grabbing by the YSRCP leaders.
“If the Chief Minister has knowledge of it, then he is looting the common man. If he does not have knowledge of it, then he should constitute a committee to inquire into the charges,” the Union Minister said.
On what steps the BJP would take to stop the renaming of Central schemes, he said, “We have already notified it to the authorities concerned, including the NITI Aayog. The Chief Minister should understand that the country works under a federal cooperative set-up, and if such things are encouraged, it is against the spirit of cooperative federalism.”
‘Precarious finances’
Referring to the “huge debts” incurred by the State government, Mr. Muraleedharan said the issue had already been discussed with the Floor leaders of various parties in Parliament. The financial condition of many States, including Andhra Pradesh, was precarious. “The condition in Andhra Pradesh is deteriorating. If it is not contained, it may go the Sri Lankan way,” the Union Minister observed.
“I am also told that the State government is mortgaging its assets to mobilise loans. This is a bad practice, and it is against the spirit of FRBM and other financial practices. The sovereignty of the people will be compromised,” he observed.
To a question on India voting against Russia in the UNSC, Mr. Muraleedharan said that it was an issue-based decision and should not be read as a shift in the External Affairs policy. “All our decisions are based on our national and domestic policies,” he added.
‘VSP sale on track’
On the railway zone, the Union Minister said that the process was on to establish it as quickly as possible.
“The process of disinvestment of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is also on track. The decision has been taken based on the welfare of the people and the taxpayers,” he said.
Mr. Muraleedharan reiterated that the alliance with Jana Sena Party (JSP) would continue and that the 2024 elections would be fought together. “There may be differences on some issues. We sail together on some issues. Our tie-up is intact.”
