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PAC chief accuses govt of inflating growth figures
Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman and MLA B Rajendranath Reddy alleged that the state government was showing inflated GSDP (gross state domestic product) figures to project that Andhra Pradesh was achieving all-round development under the TDP rule.
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman and MLA B Rajendranath Reddy alleged that the state government was showing inflated GSDP (gross state domestic product) figures to project that Andhra Pradesh was achieving all-round development under the TDP rule.
He said the projection of inflated rates would be detrimental to the interests of the state because it would not get sufficient grants and its due share in the in the 15th Finance Commission funds from the Central government.
Addressing a media conference at the YSRCP party office here on Wednesday, the PAC chairman questioned as to why the revenue of Andhra Pradesh was not increasing on par with the increasing GSDP of the state.
He pointed out that revenue of the state increased by only four per cent while the GSDP reportedly increased by 11 per cent in the previous financial year.
He said the revenue of the state must increase in proportion to the GSDP growth but it was not happening in the case of Andhra Pradesh.
The PAC chairman said the national GDP growth was only 7 per cent and states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu achieved less than 8 per cent GSDP growth but Andhra Pradesh government is claiming that it achieved 11 per cent GSDP growth.
Stating that Andhra Pradesh would not get its due share in the 15th Finance Commission funds if the state government boasts that it had achieved 11 per cent GSDP growth, he said the 14th Finance Commission tenure would end in two years and later the 15th Finance Commission would be constituted.
Referring to aquaculture, Rajendranath Reddy said the AP government was claiming that the state had achieved 30 per cent growth in shrimp production, and it would be increased to 40 per cent in future also but according to Marine Products Development Agency (MPEDA) records, the shrimp prices have declined in the international market and India’s exports registered growth of only 15-16 per cent. “How the state government can claim in increase in revenue from shrimp exports at a time when prices plunged in international market?” he said.
The PAC chief alleged that the TDP government was showing inflated figures on the GSDP growth because Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu wanted to project that Andhra Pradesh was developing in all spheres and registering growth in industries, agriculture and service sectors.
He also said that the government was projecting high growth to get loans from national and international monetary agencies to meet the requirements of the state.
He expressed concern that the Centre may cut back on fund allocation to the state if the state government continue to flaunt its mythical achievements and non-existent “rapid progress” in all spheres.
Referring to the claim by the government that the state had achieved 33 per cent growth in agriculture sector, Rajendranath Reddy questioned how it registered such a huge growth when all 63 mandals in Anantapur mandal were declared drought-hit and the state recorded less than the average rainfall for three consecutive years.
