By reducing budgetary allocation, 15th Finance Panel did injustice to southern states: TDP MP

The 15th Finance Commission has done "injustice" to the southern states by reducing budgetary allocation, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) member K Ram Mohan Naidu alleged in the Lok Sabha on Monday. Participating in the discussion of budget in Lower House, he said the budgetary allocation under the 15th Finance Commission was lower for southern states.

"It is doing injustice to the southern states. If we are doing good on Sustainable Development Goals, then we should be incentivised," Naidu said. Citing the 2011 Census report, he said if delimitation of constituencies takes place on this basis, they will lose representation. "There will be rebellion in the southern states. It will have serious implications," Naidu claimed as he was cheered by parliamentarians from other southern states.

The 15th Finance Commission, chaired by N K Singh, tabled the first report in Parliament on February 1. The final report with recommendations for the 2021-26 period will be submitted by October 30. The TDP member said the funds promised under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act carving Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh have still not been allocated.

The Pollavaram irrigation project, he said, was the responsibility of the Centre but there was no package for resettlement and rehabilitation.

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