AP Minister denies TDP's allegations

Hyderabad, Feb 1 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K Rosaiah today denied opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) pesident N Chandrababu Naidu's allegations that the State Government had neglected the welfare of the state and its people during the last three years.

Talking to newspersons here, he said Mr Naidu was making allegations against the Government in frustration without verifying the facts on the amounts allocated for various developmental works in the State.

Mr Rosaiah said the Government had been giving priority to the irrigation, housing, education, health and agriculture and allied services, which was totally neglected during Mr Naidu's nine-year tenure.

Giving details of the amount spent on various sectors during the last three years, the minister said the Government had allocated Rs 13,014 crore for irrigation sector during current financial year, as against Rs 1,282 crore spent by the TDP during 2000-01.

He said the current year allocation for the housing sector was Rs 4,794 crore, as against Rs 26 crore spent during the TDP regime and Rs 2142 crore had been allocated for the agriculture sector against Rs 847 crore spent by the TDP in 2000-01.

Mr Rosaiah said the Government had provided Rs 8,047 crore during the current financial year for education as against Rs 3,799 crore by the TDP regime and for social welfare, the allocation was Rs 1716 crore as against Rs 452 crore by the TDP during the same period.

The minister said allocation for the Tribal welfare in the current financial year was Rs 684 crore as against Rs 246 crore spent by the TDP in 2000-01 and for BC welfare, the allocation was increased from Rs 184 crore in 2000-01 to Rs 533 crore in the current financial year.

He said the Government had allocated Rs 810 crore for the old- age, poor widows and disabled pensions during the current financial year, as against Rs 103 crore by the TDP during the same period.

He said the TDP had spent a meagre amount of Rs 18 crore in 2000-01 for the Minority Welfare as against Rs 123 crore by the Congress Government during the current financial year.

Mr Naidu was trying to mislead the people by distorting the facts and the people would not believe his statements, as they would compare the developmental activities taken up by the TDP and the Congress Government, he added.

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