Rajanna Sircilla, July-17 : Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Friday strongly criticized the Telangana state government for allegedly diverting the 15th Finance Commission funds meant for rural development. He warned that if the state does not change its approach, the Center might consider depositing development funds directly into the bank accounts of gram panchayats.
Speaking to the media persons after laying the foundation stone for the Rs.105 crore Kargill Lake rejuvenation and beautification project under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme in Sircilla town, the Minister stated that using central development funds to pay electricity bills and staff salaries is highly illegal.
He alleged that the state government is pressuring and threatening local sarpanches to divert these funds because it is unable to clear its own financial obligations.
“Development funds cannot be rerouted for operational expenses like power bills. This completely violates central guidelines,” he said, adding that he would write a formal letter to the Central Government regarding this issue if the state government fails to rectify its actions.
The Minister also directed sharp warnings at local contractors handling infrastructure projects under the AMRUT scheme. He stated that delayed execution and poor-quality work by syndicates would not be tolerated, warning that delayed projects risk losing central funding altogether.
Highlighting the Center’s contributions, Bandi Sanjay noted that the Modi government has allocated Rs.1,660 crore under AMRUT 1 and Rs.3,429 crore under AMRUT 2 for Telangana, proving that the Union Government remains the primary driver of development in the state.
District Collector Garima Agrawal, SP Mahesh B. Githe and local BJP leaders were present along with others at the event, where the Minister also paid tributes to fallen soldiers at the nearby Kargil war memorial.
Keywords : Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Fund Diversion, 15th Finance Commission, AMRUT 2.0 Scheme, Gram Panchayats, Cargill Lake Rejuvenation, Telangana Government, Rural Development Funds, Central Funding
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