*Debt, extravagance unstoppable under coalition rule: Karumuri*

Tadepalli, August 28: YSRCP spokesperson Karumuri Venkata Reddy said welfare and development have come to a standstill in the 26 months of the coalition government, while debt, corruption, wasteful expenditure and misuse of public money continue unchecked. He said the government has burdened the people with Rs. 3.86 lakh crore in debt, borrowing an average of Rs. 14,859 crore a month, Rs. 495 crore a day and Rs. 20.68 crore an hour.
He said the coalition has borrowed around Rs. 2.18 lakh crore within the Budget, Rs. 1.20 lakh crore through corporations and another Rs. 47,000 crore in the name of Amaravati, surpassing in two years the Rs. 3.31 lakh crore added during the previous five-year YSRCP government. Yet funds are unavailable for Aadabidda Nidhi, unemployment allowance and other promised schemes.
Karumuri said borrowings under Y.S. Jagan had clear public outcomes: Rs. 4.58 lakh crore reached people through DBT and non-DBT welfare, while government schools, hostels and hospitals were modernised under Nadu-Nedu, 17 medical colleges were initiated, five completed, and ports, fishing harbours and village secretariats were created.
In contrast, he said public money is now being spent on publicity and luxury: Rs. 3.44 crore on the CM’s temporary residence, Rs. 5.40 crore on decorative lighting, Rs. 7.18 crore on the Delhi bungalow and meeting hall, Rs. 9.20 crore on bullet-proof vehicles, and Rs. 110 crore on aircraft and helicopters. Around Rs. 1,500 crore has been earmarked for advertisements over two years.
He also cited expenditure on public events, consultants, advisers, legal fees, high-cost Amaravati works and contracts, saying the government claims there is no money for welfare while spending crores on publicity, travel, ceremonies and political promotion.