NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy has appealed to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to release the pending funds due to the State at the earliest. He met the Union Finance Minister in New Delhi along with AP Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das, Principal Secretary(Finance) SS Rawat, and AP Bhavan Resident Commissioner Bhavana Saxena on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, the Buggana said that the government had the responsibility to protect the poor and middle class in the backdrop of the COVID-induced lockdown which caused hardships to them. The State was spending huge amounts for the medicines under these circumstances, he said. Despite the State’s finances being in a bad shape, corona patients are being treated free of cost under the Arogyasri scheme under the direction of CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. This is like nowhere else in the country, he added. Black fungus treatment costs anywhere between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 7 lakh per patient, he added. He said that the state was moving forward amid hardships to ensure the safety and welfare of the citizens.

Buggana said that it was important for representatives to learn about the State's economic status and that the release of pending funds was crucial as the state had incurred huge costs in meeting the healthcare needs of the people amid the Covid pandemic.

The AP Finance Minister explained that he was meeting up with other Union Ministers and officials to discuss issues related to taxes, GST funds, and the State's greater share in centrally sponsored schemes. The Minister also clarified that the Delhi visit was to protect the interest of the states and not for any political intentions.

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