Decentralisation of development for Jagan means looting State, says Bonda Uma

Amaravathi, Oct 7: The Chief Minister, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy, and his Cabinet colleagues in the past three-and-years have totally changed the meaning of decentralisation of development. What decentralisation means for them is loot the State, conceal and later run away, which they have been implementing across Andhra Pradesh, said the TDP politburo member, Mr Bonda Umamaheswara Rao on Friday.

Mr Umamaheswara Rao told media persons at the TDP headquarters here that Mr Chandrababu Naidu, during his tenure as the chief minister of the State, strived hard to develop Amaravathi but after Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy came to power he totally destroyed the city. When the farmers in the region, who lost their lands came onto the roads demanding justice, the Ministers are passing the most unpleasant and nasty comments against them, Mr Uma said with serious concern.

 The Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues do not have any understanding of what decentralisation means, he felt. If they really are aware of what development and decentralisation mean, the TDP is ready for an open debate, he said and asked whether the ruling party leaders can come for the debate.

Though the High Court has already made it clear that any state should have a single capital, this YSRCP Government is resorting to diversionary politics in the name of decentralisation, the TDP politburo member said. The `Nyayasthanam to Devasthanam` (judiciary to temple) pada yatra undertaken by the Amaravathi farmers earlier evoked tremendous response and now the Amaravathi to Arasavelli pada yatra is getting an enormous response, and the Ministers are making unwanted remarks as they could not digest this, he observed. 

''Can any Minister claim that at least his or her home Assembly segment has been developed with a mere Rs 1 crore,'' he asked and said that the YSRCP Government only destroyed the whole State. Even the Central funds of Rs 12,000 cr have been diverted by this Chief Minister and he could not produce a proper response on utilisation of these funds, Mr Bonda Umamaheswara Rao stated. 

Officials are being pulled up by the courts and this Government is still not learnt any lessons till now, he remarked.

The sarpanches are coming onto the roads demanding funds and is this the decentralisation that Mr Jagan Reddy has been claiming, he asked. Can any YSRCP leader say what the Government has done for the welfare of the SCs, STs and BCs in the State except diverting the 26,448 cr funds allocated for the BC sub-plan, he said.

In the name of upgrading Visakhapatnam as the capital city, the State Government mortgaged the lands there, he said and demanded Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy to come out with facts where he has spent the Rs 40,000 cr raised as loan by mortgaging the lands. The Chief Minister who could not build a single capital should tell the public as to how he will build three capitals, Mr Uma asked. He should explain to the people what are his plans for the capital, the TDP politburo member demanded.