Following repeated controversies over sizeable funds being sanctioned for upgrading Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy’s residence at the cost of the state exchequer, the Andhra government on Friday cancelled some of the sanctioned funds.
The Roads and Buildings (R&B) department issued 6 government orders, cancelling a total of sanctioned funds worth Rs 2.87 crore. The cancelled funds include an amount of Rs 73 lakh sanctioned for installing doors and windows at the CM's residence. While the orders had been issued in October, the move had gained attention when Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and Leader of Opposition Chandrababu Naidu had slammed Jagan Mohan Reddy for the expenditure when the state was ‘grappling with fiscal mess’.
Recently, an amount of Rs 1.2 crore was sanctioned for ‘annual maintenance’ of the CM camp residence at Tadepalli, a move which again drew criticism from multiple quarters. These funds have also been withdrawn by the R&B department, along with an amount of Rs 24.5 lakh allotted for security arrangements at the CM’s Lotus Pond residence in Hyderabad’s Banjara Hills. The other cancelled funds were to be used for providing furniture, electrical maintenance staff and other amenities at the Tadepalli residence.
The expenditure had been criticised, particularly in light of the state’s financial crisis. The state has been in a poor financial situation since the time of bifurcation. With near-empty coffers, the government has been banking on expected funds from the Centre and has even decided to sell government lands and buildings to pool funds for the huge number of welfare schemes and promises made under the YSRCP's Navaratnalu -- a list of nine welfare schemes Jagan had promised, while campaigning.
Jagan had moved to a palatial house in Tadepalli town of Guntur district in the capital region back in February when he was the Leader of the Opposition. After the YSRCP won the elections and Jagan was sworn in as the CM on May 30, the house has been modified and upgraded in multiple ways, at the cost of the state exchequer. Earlier in June, the state government sanctioned Rs 1.89 crore for a helipad and other facilities. A road was also reportedly built at a cost of Rs 5 crore, while another Rs 3.6 crore was spent on electrical works.