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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Three juveniles held for stabbing 16-year-old over past grudge in northwest Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI): Three juveniles, including one who was recently out on bail in a murder case, were apprehended in connection with the stabbing of a 16-year-old boy in northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar over to past dispute, an official said on Wednesday.
A PCR call on March 12 reported a stabbing incident in Ashok Vihar area in which one Altaf (16) sustained grievous injuries.
Police said the victim was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. With no eyewitnesses, and the victim initially unfit to give a statement, the case posed a challenge for investigators.
An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and a team was constituted to probe the matter.
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After regaining consciousness, the victim disclosed the name of one of the assailants, providing a crucial lead. Acting on local inputs and surveillance, police conducted raids and tracked down the suspects.
Subsequently, three juveniles were apprehended and, during interrogation, they confessed to their involvement in the crime, police said.
The accused disclosed that they knew the victim and had a prior altercation over a trivial issue, which escalated into bitter enmity. Nursing a grudge, they conspired to attack him and stabbed the boy after intercepting him on the day of the incident.
Police said one of the apprehended juveniles had recently been released on bail in a murder case registered last year at the same police station.
The weapon of offence, a knife, was recovered at the instance of the accused.
