Finance Ministry applies brakes on Yogi's development agenda

The Finance Ministry has jammed the brakes on the development that Uttar Pradesh was promised when the Yogi Adityanath government took charge of the state. In an attempt to tackle the problem of deficient funds, Adityanath asked the Union government to disburse funds earmarked for UP through various Union ministries. Not only was his request turned down, but he was also asked to first account for the expenditure of funds disbursed to UP in the past seven years.

When Adityanath made enquiries with officials and Union ministers about his pending request, he was told that it was the Union Finance Ministry itself that had issued the order to block the disbursement of funds to UP.

Of note is the fact that because of UP's notorious bureaucracy, the state has not furnished the Union government with an account of expenditure of funds issued to the state in the past seven years. These funds amounted to Rs 23,000 crore. This is the reason why there is a block on funds to UP.

The decision taken by the Union ministries may not only jeopardise aspirations to fast-track UP's development, but may also weaken the state government's report card ahead of the next general elections.

Adityanath, who is making efforts to get the Union government to disburse the funds, has assured the various Union ministries concerned that he will account for the past seven years' expenditure of Union funds in UP as soon as possible. He has also demanded that the funds not be blocked while the accounting work is underway.