Centre withholds Rs 4000 crore funds to Andhra Pradesh for using CM Jagan Mohan Reddy's name in central schemes

Sources said that the Centre has asked the Jagan Reddy government to refrain from using the CM's name in the centrally sponsored schemes in the state.

Amaravati: The central government has expressed anguish at the Andhra Pradesh government for printing Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy's photo on the posters of centrally sponsored schemes, sources said. It is learnt that in a recently written letter to the Andhra Pradesh government, the Central government has told the state government that the central rules should be strictly implemented.

It said that no changes should be made to the name, logo, and other details prescribed by the Centre for the centrally sponsored schemes, and no names given by the state government (YSR, Jagananna) or other logos (Navaratna logo) should be added to them. In respect of various central schemes being implemented in the state, approximately Rs 4,000 crores is known to have been withheld by the Centre over the matter, sources said.

It is learnt that the state BJP leaders are against naming YSR and Jagan names for central government schemes being implemented in the state. The Andhra Pradesh government is constructing around 18.64 lakh houses in Jagananna colonies. The majority of the funds for these are provided by the Centre.

The central government is giving Rs 1.50 lakhs in towns and Rs 1.80 lakhs in urban development organizations out of Rs 1.80 lakhs received by the beneficiaries for the construction of each house. However, it is alleged that the state government is promoting it as its own scheme. Sources said that the YSRCP government added the YSR name to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and changed it to PMAY-YSR (Urban)-BLC scheme.

In it, the logo of the central government is printed and the Navratna logo with the figure of Chief Minister Jagan is also placed. The Centre has objected to this. It is learned that the state government's argument that it is also funding the space and other infrastructure has been turned down. It has been reported to the Centre that the boards installed in the 5 lakh houses that have already been completed will be changed.

Recently, a central team inspected 10 districts of the state to examine the construction of houses being carried out in the state under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural). However, the state government hastily changed the boards for all the houses as per sources. The central team, which traveled for two days, submitted the report to the centre and further funds will be released based on this report.

In the Department of Women and Child Welfare, ICDS, and nutrition schemes are being implemented with central financial support. Mission Vatsalya and Mission Shakti schemes are run with central cooperation. The centre spends Rs 4 per person per day to provide nutrition to pregnant women, infants, and children in Anganwadi centers.

But the state government named them YSR Sampurna Poshana and Poshana Plus. It is learned that the Centre has objected to this and stopped the funds.