Gehlot demands white paper on comparative quantum of central funds

Kota, Feb 23 (UNI) AICC General Secretary and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today demanded issuance of a white paper on the comparative quantum of central funds sanctioned to the state under the previous NDA and present UPA Government.

Talking to newspersons in Sangod town near here, Mr Gehlot criticised State Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje for her ''lack of effective fiscal management and planning'', adding that she was in the habit of boasting unduly.

He said it was the liberal and impartial development oriented policies of the Manmohan Singh Government at the the Centre, which had improved economic health of state governments to release timely funds to states without political consideration.

Accordingly, Rajasthan had got much more central funds under the present regime as compared to the previous NDA Government.

He also slammed the Raje Government for committing ''irregularities and scam'' and said the recent report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) had also taken exception to such irregularities amounting to Rs 141 crore in total.

Replying to a question about issue of appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries in violation to the constitutional provisions, Mr Gehlot said the BJP Government had taken undue and unreasonable stubborn attitude, adding it had committed a technical mistake and should have found out ways to correct and rectify it.

He said the right way to rectify the mistake was to amend the Rajasthan Assembly business procedure rules and then, the ruling party could have sought the opposition's cooperation for the same.

UNI SS GL RK1833