Centre still maintains discriminatory attitude towards UP: SP

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party today alleged that the central government still maintained a discriminatory attitude towards Uttar Pradesh and had not acceded to a demand for special development package for the state.

In a statement issued here, SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had repeatedly apprised the Centre of his views regarding development of the state but the required cooperation was not extended.

The demand for a special development package for the state had also not been met, he said.

Chaudhary said, of the Rs 44,000 crore central grant, only Rs 7,401.43 crore or 17 per cent has been received by the state so far.

Even central ministers from the state were not taking interest in pushing the schemes forward, he alleged.

Referring to the Muzaffarnagar riots, Chaudhary said Congress and other parties were shedding "crocodile tears" whereas the Chief Minister had assured all possible help to the victims and promised Rs 10 lakh financial assistance and job to kin of those killed.

It is surprising the Centre has put a rider that Rs three lakh central assistance cannot be given to those victims who had got government jobs, he said.