Andhra Pradesh: State FM Buggana Rajendranath alleges TDP of spreading lies against government

State Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath on Wednesday alleged that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and TDP leader Yanamala Ramakrishnudu were deliberately spreading lies about the state government.

"The state government has inherited a bad economic situation from the predecessor TDP government. In spite of that, the YSRCP government is implementing welfare schemes for the public," Buggana said.

Buggana also responded on Chandrababu's comment that while TDP government had run Anna canteens for poor, the present government is running liquor shops.

He said: "The YSRCP government has reduced the number of liquor shops by 20 per cent. Shops with sitting rooms are removed. Liquor availability to the public came down. Our government's ultimate aim is the total prohibition of liquor and we will achieve it gradually."

While speaking on the sand issue, he admitted that there is a shortage of sand in the state. He said that due to huge flood water intake into major rivers of the state, sand mining became troublesome. By the end of the year sand mining process will be streamlined, the minister assured. He claimed that the state government is successful in controlling the sand mafia.

Buggana responded on the comments of his predecessor and former finance minister in TDP government Yanamala Ramakrishnudu. Yanamala had alleged that the state government has fallen to the tenth rank in India Innovation Index survey by NITI Aayog, due to the misrule of YSRCP government.

Buggana pointed out that the Innovation Index Survey was conducted for the first time, then how the question of falling down arises. He explained that the NITI Aayog Survey focused on innovative advancement in education and industrial sectors, and they are based upon the status of various parameters in the last 5 to 10 years. It is TDP that was in power for last 5 years and they are blaming the YSRCP government that is in power since only the past four months, he pointed out.

Buggana reminded that Chandrababu government had increased the loan burden on state exchequer to Rs 2.60 lakh crores.

"It is the TDP government that threw power DISCOMs into losses. They had entered into agreements and now they are blaming our government of buying power at excessive rates," he said.