Budget burdening people, says Lok Satta

Vizianagaram: Lok Satta party State vice-president Bhishetty Babji said that the State government's budget for the year 2013-14 has been brought out in a haphazard manner and all that it produced was debt for the people.Addressing a press conference at the party office here on Tuesday, he said that the budget has caused a debt burden of Rs 21,208 on every citizen. Last year, a sum of Rs 2,572.6 crore was allotted for the agriculture sector but only Rs 2,200 crore was spent, he observed. Likewise, for industries last year Rs 632.12 crore was allotted but only Rs 221.1 crore was spent, he said. For handlooms Rs 212.56 crore was earmarked but only Rs 132.65 crore was spent. Several crores of rupees were swindled in the name of Jalayagnam, he alleged and said that the projects were all pending. For health, Rs 5,889 crore was allotted but only Rs 4,800 crore was spent, he said. While Rs 3,621 crore was earmarked for fee reimbursement, not a single rupee was spent on the 14 lakh students, he pointed out.A Party leaders Devara Easwar Rao, D Surya Rao, D Saiparthasarathy, Ravikumar, K Dayanand, Ch. Appalaraju, PV Ramana and LR Sivarama Rao participated.