India News | TDP MP Demands Imposition of Financial Emergency in Andhra Pradesh

New Delhi, Mar 28 (PTI) Alleging financial irregularities by the YSRCP-led dispensation in Andhra Pradesh, TDP MP Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar on Monday appealed to the central government to impose financial emergency in the state.

During a discussion on the Appropriation Bill 2022 and the Finance Bill 2022 in Rajya Sabha, Kumar said Andhra Pradesh had spent Rs 1.11 lakh crore without the approval of the state assembly in 2021 which is about half of the total expenditure budget.

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He said that transactions of Rs 48,234 crore -- about one-third of the total budget expenditure -- were carried out without proper accounting and documentation, in violation of the treasury code and without informing the state assembly.

"The questionable transaction of Rs 48,234 crore is about 730 times that of the alleged Bihar fodder scam. This misappropriation is deeply troubling and this is in just one financial year," Kumar said.

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He said that there has been diversion of 30 per cent of central funds to unintended items of expenditure and there is utter mismanagement between budget allocation and actual expenditure, particularly for the welfare of backward sections, Scheduled Caste, women and minorities.

"I appeal to the government to do the needful and save the people of Andhra Pradesh from the financial anarchism of the state government and secure their future, if necessary...by imposing financial emergency in the state of Andhra Pradesh," Kumar said.

He said the CAG has observed that the actions of the present AP government are in violation of the provisions of the Constitution, which stipulates that not even a rupee can be spent without approval of the state legislature.

"The CAG refused to certify one-third of the total financial transactions of AP government for 2021 for the first time in the history...there is financial anarchism in Andhra pradesh to serve the political interest of the ruling establishment in the state," Kumar said.

He said that the present government of AP is unleashing violence against the people of the state through gross misuse of public finances for personal gains.

"Central government should seriously consider imposing financial emergency in the state under Article 360 of the Constitution in the interest of the state of AP. Otherwise the present and future of the state will be seriously in danger. We cannot keep quiet when the AP government has unleashed a serious attack on our Constitution and Parliament in the form of violations of the act," Kumar said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)