Venkaiah Naidu turns down AP's request for funds

Venkaiah Naidu turns down AP's request for funds
Express News Service

Hyderabad, Nov 5: The Centre has turned down the Andhra Pradesh government's request for funds to its developmental programmes which are similar to those being implemented at the national level.

The state governments should not take unilateral decisions in diverting the Central funds for developmental and welfare programmes, Union Rural Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said today.

Addressing a press conference here, Naidu pointed out that it would not be a welcome practice for the state governments to implement the Central programmes by merely changing their names.

Such crucial decisions which have a bearing on the country should be taken only after arriving at an understanding between the Centre and the states. The state governments, which would play a vital role in implementing various programmes, should understand the Centre's commitments in this respect too, he said. He added that he would hold a high-level review meeting on the rural development programmes in Andhra Pradesh on November 16.

The Centre has convened a meeting of the state ministers of rural development and panchayat raj in December after the winter session of Parliament. The meeting will discuss and evolve a national agenda on issues such as strengthening of gram sabha, devolution of powers to local bodies and effective implementation of Centrally-sponsored schemes.

The issue of restoration of the three-tier panchayat raj system without MPTC and ZPTC members will have to be discussed amongst all the parties concerned for reaching a consensus, Naidu said. Referring to the Congress, Naidu said that some political parties were taking conflicting stands on this issue at the state and national levels.

The Centre was preparing guidelines for conducting gram sabhas as per the parameters suggested by the Constitution, he said.

The Union Minister said that the Centre was allotting approximately Rs 10,000 crore as funds every year for alleviating poverty and generating employment in rural areas.