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The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Nellore district president and former Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy, along with MLC Parvathareddy Chandrasekhar Reddy, on Wednesday alleged large-scale financial irregularities in the functioning of the Nellore Municipal Corporation (NMC). They accused MA&UD Minister Ponguru Narayana of presiding over what they described as an ‘unprecedented burden’ on taxpayers.
Addressing the media at the YSRCP district office here on Wednesday, the leaders alleged that budget estimates and tax collections had been substantially increased under the present administration and claimed that several civic works were being divided into packages of ₹4.90 lakh to avoid the tendering process and subsequently awarded to associates.
Mr. Chandrasekhar Reddy alleged that the corporation had become a centre of exploitation, claiming that the sudden increase in taxes was placing a heavy burden on ordinary citizens. He claimed a review of municipal budget records since 2019 showed annual tax collections ranging between ₹44 crore and ₹66 crore during the previous YSRCP government, while the collection stood at ₹111 crore last year and the target for the current year had been fixed at ₹154 crore.
The MLC also alleged that drinking water tax collections had increased from ₹7 crore to ₹30 crore. He claimed that even economically weaker families were being pursued through Lok Adalats and courts for tax arrears, with officials allegedly warning of property seizures.
The YSRCP leaders also raised questions over the garbage collection system. According to Mr. Kakani, 95 CLAP garbage-collection autos introduced during the previous government had cost ₹58.90 lakh a month, and around ₹7.06 crore annually. He alleged that the system was subsequently replaced with 126 tractors operated by Pruthviraj Constructions, which he described as being associated with the Minister, at a claimed cost of ₹1.32 lakh per tractor per month, taking the annual expenditure to about ₹20.07 crore.
They also alleged irregularities in contracts involving sweeping machines, compactors and buses. They questioned the need for a ₹26.74-crore contract for 19 sweeping machines and an ₹11.90-crore contract for six compactors. They further alleged that 13 buses were entrusted to Sulaksha Constructions at ₹1.40 lakh per bus per month.
The leaders said they had brought budget books, tender documents and corporation agenda copies to support their allegations and demanded explanations from the authorities.
The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Nellore district president and former Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy, along with MLC Parvathareddy Chandrasekhar Reddy, on Wednesday alleged large-scale financial…