Budget figures are inflated: Naidu

Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday stated that the State Budget for the financial year 2012-13 presented by Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy in the Assembly would not serve any purpose for the common man.

Talking to media persons at Telugu Desam Legislature Party Office, the TDP chief stated that the budget would burden the common man with levying of heavy taxes. Describing the exercise of Finance Minister as `waste and futile’, he said that the budget was not useful for the development of State and welfare of people.

Naidu also said that the budget has not mentioned anything about fee reimbursement and fate of farmers, who are affected due to drought. Stating the growth rate in the State touched rock bottom compared to other States in the

country, he expressed serious concern over the pathetic financial position of the state.

Stating that the government has failed on all fronts, he said that the government has inflated figures in the budget to project its growth. Stating that at least 25 percent of funds allotted for the development works in the last budget were not fully utilizsed, he asked the government to release a white paper on the spending of funds.

The TDP chief said that the Backward Classes welfare has been neglected in the budget. Further, the government has not allotted sufficient funds for the welfare of weavers despite they ending lives due to financial problems. He demanded that the government fully utilise the funds reserved for SC/STs welfare in the sub-plan instead of diverting them for other purposes.

Naidu said that the government did not mention as to how it would mobilise funds for the implementation of development schemes.

Stating that the government has provided employment to less than 50,000 unemployed youth in the last seven years, Naidu asked the minister to explain how it would create 15 lakh posts under the Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu within three years.