YSRC leaders pocketing Central funds: Purandeswari

Purandeswari said that thousands of crores of rupees were allotted for new railway doubling in the region and Rs. 6,300 crore were allocated for a six-lane highway to Bhogapuram.

Visakhapatnam: Former union minister and BJP state president D. Purandeswari has alleged that the Central government funds released for Andhra Pradesh development were being pocketed by the ruling YSR Congress Party leaders who on top of it spread lies that the Centre was not doing anything for the state.

Launching a scathing attack on the state government, the BJP leader who arrived here for the first time after taking charge as state president, told reporters on Friday that the Centre had funded construction of 1,57,800 houses in the state and allotted houses for all districts in north Andhra. However, a couple of days ago, minister Gudivada Amarnath was saying that they had built only 21,000 houses, she noted and demanded a white paper on this.

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Purandeswari said that thousands of crores of rupees were allotted for new railway doubling in the region and Rs. 6,300 crore were allocated for a six-lane highway to Bhogapuram. “The state government should disclose how many roads it has built.

The Centre has allotted national level educational institutions like IIM, Petroleum and Tribal universities, HPCL extension and Industrial corridor. We want to know how successful the State government is in getting investments. There is no sign of tourism development in the state and the real estate prices have skyrocketed with a land mafia in operation,” she alleged.

As for the BJP in the state, she said that she would strive to strengthen the party with the cooperation of all.

On the Visakhapatnam steel plant issue, Purandeswari said that the welfare of the steel employees was the responsibility of the Centre and measures would be taken to make the steel plant a profitable venture.