Rs 1,900 crore funds belonging to local bodies diverted by YSRC govt, alleges minister Narayana

Vijayawada: Minister for municipal administration and urban development Ponguru Narayana has alleged that the previous YSRC government had diverted Rs 1,900 crore funds meant for local bodies’ development, impeding the development works in municipalities and municipal corporations in the state.

In this regard, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, in principle, gave the nod to utilise the income generated through municipal taxes and funds meant for the local bodies for the development works in municipalities and municipal corporations, regardless of the funds present in the Comprehensive Financial Management System (CFMS).

Narayana, along with Vijayawada East MLA Gadde Ram Mohan Rao, has inaugurated the new gym equipment installed at the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) park in the fourth ward of the Veterinary Colony in Vijayawada on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, Narayana said the state government, headed by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, has accorded highest priority to develop greenery through Swachh Andhra and Urban Greening Corporation in the state. He said the government laid special emphasis on developing parks, walking tracks and greenery.

Narayana said he would convene a meeting with the VMC officials and Vijayawada MLAs and MP to discuss Vijayawada development and works undertaken in the past five years under the VMC jurisdictions.

“The storm-water canal works taken up by the L&T firm under the TD government to prevent water-logging in Vijayawada city were stopped abruptly by the previous YSRC government. There is an urgent need to resume the construction of the storm-water canals. However, the unavailability of funds has become a cause for concern,” Narayana pointed out.