Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal on Friday described as “misleading” Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s recent remarks concerning the Centre-State standoff on the State’s financial position.
After blocking the State’s revenue sources, Ms. Sitharaman was trying to create the impression that it has been given everything, Mr. Balagopal alleged.
The charge that the State government had failed to furnish the Accountant General-certified accounts for 2021-22 to the Centre on time was incorrect. The State had furnished the figures to the AG on time, but the AG had delayed in certifying them and passing them on to the Centre. The AG and the office (of the AG) are institutions controlled by the Central government, Mr. Balagopal said in a detailed counter to Ms. Sitharaman’s remarks which were made during a recent visit to Thiruvananthapuram.
