Centre not releasing Rs 700 cr funds to Andhra for backward districts, says AP official
New Delhi, Oct 10: In what appears to be fall out of the TDP pulling out of the NDA, the Centre has not released Rs 700 crore funds to Andhra Pradesh for development of seven backward districts for 2017-18 and 2018-19, but a similar assistance due to Telangana has already been given.
While the government think-tank Niti Aayog has recommended release of the funds to the bifurcated Andhra Pradesh, a file in this regard is pending with the Prime Minister Office (PMO) for last few months, Andhra Pradesh Planning Board vice-chairman C Kutumba Rao told PTI.
Both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are entitled to a special development package from the Centre for a period of five years under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014.
Andhra Pradesh is entitled to Rs 350 crore annual grant for the development of seven backward districts, while the neighbouring Telangana would get Rs 450 crore annually for nine backward districts.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) broke away from the NDA early this year over the Centre's refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh.
"We should get in total Rs 700 crore funds pending for 2017-18 and the current fiscal and the Centre has not released this amount till date. But to Telangana, it has released Rs 900 crore for both 2017-18 and 2018-19 fiscals," Rao said.
Alleging that the Centre is acting in a "biased manner" towards the bifurcated Andhra Pradesh, he said the state government has written several letters demanding early release of funds but the Centre has not responded positively.
"In fact, the central government on February 9 released Rs 350 crore for the 2017-18 fiscal. However, a week later the funds were taken back without citing any reason," he noted.
Usually when the Centre allocates funds, it is deposited in the RBI general account of the state. The RBI has control over the account and it can take back the amount, he added.
Stating that nothing is pending from the state government's side, Rao said: "We have submitted necessary utility certificates. Union Finance Ministry has not given a single reason either written or oral to the state."
In fact, the Niti Aayog has recommended releasing of funds to the state, but the file is pending with the PMO. "If the PMO cannot decide on a file in six months,imagine how the central government is functioning," he said.
Out of 13 districts in Andhra Pradesh, seven backward districts are Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram. Anantapur, Kadapa, Kurnool and Chittoor.
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Punjab: Blast near army cantt area in Amritsar, hours after explosion in Jalandhar
Chandigarh (PTI): An explosion occurred near the army cantonment area in Khasa late Tuesday night in Punjab's Amritsar, the second such incident which took place around three hours after a blast outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar.
According to the police, an investigation into both blast incidents is currently underway, and no injuries have been reported.
The first explosion happened around 8 pm in Jalandhar, while the second blast occurred at approximately 11 pm in Amritsar.
Amritsar (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police Suhail Mir Qasim stated that police received reports of a loud sound at around 11 pm on a road in Khasa. "Our teams arrived on the scene immediately," he said.
Preliminary inspections indicated that someone had thrown an explosive device towards the boundary wall, leading to the explosion, according to the SSP.
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Police mentioned that a piece of a tin sheet covering the boundary wall had fallen as a result of the blast.
Following the explosion, a team of forensic and bomb disposal squad visited the site to collect samples.
Amritsar Rural Superintendent of Police Aditya S. Warrier, who also visited the scene, confirmed that further investigations are ongoing. Police added that a team of army officials also assessed the situation, after which the area was cordoned off.
CCTV footage from the vicinity shows the explosion occurring at night. A local villager reported that his family was awakened by the loud sound and came outside their home to see what had happened.
Before the Amritsar explosion, a blast took place outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar district around 8 pm on Tuesday, causing panic in the area.
CCTV footage captured the explosion, which resulted in a cloud of smoke. An unidentified man was seen running for cover following the blast.
The blast ripped apart a scooter, damaged a traffic signal pole and windowpanes of a nearby shop. Locals recounted that the scooter, which was parked outside the BSF headquarters, Punjab Frontier, caught fire shortly after a loud sound. It belonged to Gurpreet Singh, who regularly delivers parcels in the area.
Talking to reporters on Tuesday night, one of Gurpreet's relatives said that the scooter caught fire as he was approaching it. He immediately called his father and informed him about the incident.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur confirmed to reporters late Tuesday that an Activa scooter parked near the gate caught fire suddenly. She stated that Gurpreet is fully cooperating with the investigation.
Witnesses nearby reported hearing a loud sound following the explosion.
On April 27, an explosion occurred at a freight corridor rail track in Shambhu in Patiala. Police had arrested four members of a pro-Khalistan terror module, backed by Pakistan's ISI, for the blast.
In light of these incidents, opposition parties have condemned the AAP government for its handling of the situation.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal criticised Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who also holds the home portfolio, over the recent blasts.
"Three blasts in 10 days, two in a single day, May 5: Jalandhar outside BSF headquarters and Sri Amritsar Sahib Army area, April 27: Rajpura rail track. Continued intelligence failures and the collapse of law and order are a matter of grave concern. Chief Minister @BhagwantMann, who is also the state Home Minister, is busy with mimicry and cheap politics. He has forfeited the right to remain in office," Badal said in a post on X.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also slammed the Mann government over the two blasts.
"Back-to-back blasts have shaken Punjab. Yesterday in Jalandhar, and now near Khasa Camp in Amritsar, this is deeply alarming. Who is trying to destabilise our state? Why has the Punjab Government failed to prevent such incidents? What is the Government of India doing? Repeated lapses point to a serious breakdown of intelligence and security. Punjab's peace cannot be compromised. We demand accountability and immediate action," Warring said in a post on X.
