Criticising the NDA government for allegedly not extending any financial assistance to the state following the recent heavy rains, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday said it was once again proved that the Union government only makes empty promises but does not take any action. It was highly regrettable that help has not been extended even when a city like Hyderabad suffered heavy losses, he said.
"CM KCR said it was once again proved that the Union government makes empty promises and does not take any action. Despite heavy losses incurred by the state due heavy rains and floods, the Union government's attitude is exposed as it failed to release even a single rupee as assistance in this regard," an official release from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. KCR made the comments during a meeting with officials on the state's financial situation following the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the meeting, finance officials claimed not even "a paisa" has been received from the Union government towards rehabilitation measures after the heavy rains and flooding. The officials said that the chief minister had written to the Prime Minister that preliminary estimates put the losses at Rs 5,000 crore and Rs 1,350 crore towards immediate relief was sought. The President, Vice President and the PM have expressed shock over the heavy rains and floods and spoke to the CM and inquired about the situation, the officials said.
"The central team also visited the state and assessed the situation. After all this, we have expected some assistance from the Union government. But as on date, not even a single rupee is released," the release quoted the officials as having briefed the chief minister. The state government had said on October 19 that as many as 70 people died in rain-related incidents.
Meanwhile, finance officials told KCR that the overall loss in revenue to the state in 2020-21 due to the impact of COVID-19 would be to the tune of Rs 52,750 crore in 2020-21. The officials suggested that it is necessary to make changes and amendments to the state budget for 2020-21 in view of the sharp fall in the revenues, the release said said, adding that officials explained to KCR about the fall in revenues and also the considerable decrease of the state's share in Union government taxes.
Read: