Finance minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy has informed that the commercial taxes department has been added to the state’s finance ministry to keep all revenue earning departments in one place. “There is no other intention of attaching the commercial tax department to the finance department,” he maintained, refuting allegations on inclusion of the commercial tax department into the finance ministry.
The minister explained that the Union government has centralized all revenue departments. This is the reason why AP too has attached the commercial tax department to the finance ministry.
Rajendranath said the centre has so far disbursed ₹3,274 crore of GST funds to Andhra Pradesh. Another ₹2,000 crore is still due from the union government. The minister said CAG’s objections to use of public funds are “most natural” and the state government has been constantly responding to these queries.
He added that the AP State Development Corporation has been set up to implement welfare schemes in the state. The government is spending loans borrowed in implementing schemes like Rythu Bharosa, Cheyuta, YSR Aasara and others. No loans are being misused, he maintained.
The minister pointed out that the mortgage of lands is natural when taking loans. He said it is the government’s policy to take loans and issue GOs in the name of governor, hitting back at the Governor for opposing how the YSRCP government misused his name while taking more loans and pushing the state into further debts.
