BSP accuses Centre of holding Rs 21,000-cr development funds

Under scathing attack from Congress over land acquisition issues in recent past, the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh has lashed out at the Centre for allegedly not approving legitimate development funds for the state.

According to BSP, the central government had defaulted in providing over Rs 21,000 crore worth of its share of funds to UP during the last four years, which had queered the pitch for development projects.

Giving details, the party said the funds not made available to UP during 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 amounted to Rs 4,395 crore, Rs 3,266 crore, Rs 7,320 crore and Rs 5,864 crore respectively, which put the total sum to Rs 21,385 crore.

The Mayawati-led party maintained that under a well-hatched conspiracy, Congress was indulging in false propaganda, that the Centre had loosen its purse strings for providing additional financial resources to UP.

A BSP press communiqué here claimed the Centre ought to have released Rs 11,444 crore to UP for rural development projects pertaining to 2011-12, against which only Rs 2,044 crore had been released so far.

“Sticking to its partisan attitude against UP, the central government is yet to approve Rs 4,000 crore worth of proposals for 65 districts under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for 2011-12, while similar proposals of other states, including Rajasthan had been cleared,” the party charged.

Besides, rural road projects of 29 districts worth Rs 401 crore were also awaiting central clearance.

Meanwhile, the party reiterated its demand for settlement of Rs 2,528 crore claim for central sales tax losses it had incurred during previous financial years viz. 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 by introducing Value Added Tax (VAT).