The union government has failed to address the disastrous financial implications of the proposed reorganization of AP, says Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan.
The union government has dismally failed to address the disastrous financial implications of the proposed reorganization of Andhra Pradesh, charged Lok Satta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan on Tuesday.
"Administration will come to a standstill, with employees not getting their salaries, and development and welfare schemes grinding to a halt if the financial issues are not addressed. The Centre, which sent the AP Reorganization Bill to the Legislature, should have found a solution to the financial problems that arise. Instead, it has chosen to ignore the issue altogether," he said.
JP called upon political parties, media, academic circles and civic society organizations to mount a united struggle against the union government to ensure that justice is done to all the regions through a comprehensive and amicable solution. "The Lok Satta is committed to speaking truth, and finding a fair, equitable and effective solution," he added.
He pointed out that all the political parties have vitiated the political atmosphere with an eye on votes and seats in elections, and are not bothering about the future of Telugu people.
He said that as per the President's reference of the Reorganization Bill, the Legislature as a whole has to express its view by having a general debate, and then members should express their views by taking up a clause-wise discussion.
He presented data to drive home the financial implications of the state's division.
"As per the data available for the financial year 2012-13, Andhra Pradesh's total revenue receipts, comprising the state's tax and non-tax revenue and share in Central taxes and Central grants, come to Rs. 1,03,830.28 crore. The total receipts go upto Rs. 1,27,566.74 crore if public debt, PF receipts and loans and advances are included. Against that, the total expenditure is Rs. 1,29,440.92 crore.
"Of the total receipts, the non-divisible receipts, that is, the receipts the state as a whole gets, including share in Central taxes, Central grants, market borrowings etc., work out to Rs. 58,679.83 crore," he said.
He analyzed that coastal Andhra will have a surplus of Rs. 684 crore, Rayalaseema a deficit of Rs. 7,005 crore, Telangana excluding Hyderabad a deficit of Rs. 8,407 crore, and Hyderabad a surplus of Rs. 12,854 crore if their divisible and on-divisible receipts and expenditure are taken into account.
JP demanded that the grave problem of deficits be addressed before the Centre goes ahead with its decision to bifurcate the state.
He recalled that he had written a letter to the Speaker by pointing out that Legislature members cannot express their views unless they are provided information on the financial implications.
JP said that in the days to come, the Lok Satta will offer its solution to the problem. "The problem can be addressed if all the stakeholders come together to work out a comprehensive and amicable solution," he said.
Conveying his New Year greetings to all Telugu-speaking people, he expressed confidence that they will live in amity and harmony in 2014, realizing that all of them speak the same language and share the same culture.
State Lok Satta Party president Katari Srinivasa Rao, general secretary Ravi Maruth and secretary Nandipet Ravinder took part in the media conference. (INN)