Jagan: CAG Flags Financial Lapses in AP Govt

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday said that the CAG report has exposed the financial discipline of the coalition government in the state.

He claimed that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report ratified what YSRCP has been consistently stating about the financial indiscipline of the coalition government, pointing out that it has taken loans of a whopping Rs 3.2 lakh crore in just two years, while the borrowings during the entire five-year term of the YSRCP government stood at Rs 3.31 lakh crore.

Addressing a press conference, he said that there is no clarity on where this massive borrowing has gone as the Super Six promises remain unimplemented and the state revenues have fallen, clearly indicating pilferage and rampant corruption with the ruling coalition taking a cut in everything from sand to land, mines and liquor.

There is no other reason to explain why the revenues are falling, and the fiscal deficit is mounting, and state borrowings are escalating to levels that are attracting interest as well, he said.

YS Jagan lambasted the coalition government for its gross escapism on key issues in the just-concluded 16-day Assembly session and reiterated that Chandrababu has been politicising the Tirupati issue, though all the accusing fingers are pointing towards him.

He alleged the budget session was used to spread lies, false propaganda and level baseless allegations against political adversaries while genuine questions raised by the Opposition on issues of public interest remained unanswered.

Citing statistics, the former Chief Minister raised questions on issues from financial indiscipline to Tirupati laddu. He said the issues raised by them were unanswered during the 16-day session, and it was devoted to mutual praise of the coalition partners and targeting the Opposition YSRCP.

He alleged that Chandrababu has scant respect for God. “His inefficiency in maintaining temples has resulted in loss of human lives from the stampede at Tirupati till the very recent incident at Kadiri, and the pointed questions we asked about the ghee adulteration remained unanswered, and we exposed the Indiapure–Heritage link even as they were running for cover by floating different versions at different times,” said the YSRCP chief.

Jagan said that right from tenders to supply of ghee to accepting rejected tankers took place during Chandrababu’s term, but he has been levelling baseless allegations against YSRCP. He also accused the Chief Minister of silently hiking the price of ghee from Rs 351 to Rs 761 per kg to benefit his coterie.

He stated that Chandrababu's boasting of women's safety at the International Women’s Day meeting is a sham, as there were heinous cases of atrocities on women by TDP–Jana Sena MLAs at Railway Koduru, Amudalavalasa, Guntur East, Sativedu.

He alleged that the complaint against a minister’s PA was not attended to while the TTD chairman remained untouched despite explicit videos and photos circulating in the open.

“It was during our period that women's empowerment was tangible in the social, political, and economic fields, and we have taken firm steps by providing them reservations, establishing small businesses, facilitating them to get loans from banks and roping in multi-nationals as their working partners,” he said.

During the coalition government, farmers are dying as they are not getting MSP, no crop insurance, while we delivered all promises through RBKs. Today, people are falling ill from drinking water and milk, and students are being admitted to hospitals due to a lack of hygiene at hostels, he added.