As Telangana Finance Minister T Harish Rao presented the Budget for 2022-23, the Telangana government also accused central govt of creating hurdles in the path of progress of the state.
Telangana Budget for the year 2022-23 estimates a total expenditure of Rs 2,56,958.51 crore. Out of this, the revenue expenditure is Rs 1,89,274.82 crores and capital expenditure is Rs 29,728.44 crore.
Finance Minister Harish Rao said, “The state has suffered discrimination even after formation. In the combined states, we suffered at the hands of the then rulers. And now we suffer similar discrimination from the Centre. The Centre is creating hurdles in the path of progress of the state. Instead of incentivizing the state which is progressing the centre is trying to actively discourage.”
Harish Rao said that the discrimination against Telangana started right from the day of the formation of the stare. He said that on the very first day of the formation of the state, there was a strike that had to be observed against the Centre. He alleged that the promise made in the Reorganisation Act has not been fulfilled either.
“As if this was not enough, whenever there is a discussion on the formation of the state of Telangana, it is commented like – “killing the mother for saving the baby”. These comments made by the elders at the centre are an insult to the people of Telangana,” he added.
Telangana Finance Minister’s Budget speech mentioned about projects not being allocated to Telangana by the Centre such as the ITIR project, which was allocated to Telangana but cancelled later. The Centre has notified 9 districts of the state as a backward district, however, the grant which was supposed to be given to these districts is delayed, according to Harish Rao.
“With great hope and expectations, Telangana state submitted number for proposals to the centre, Chief Minister himself met the Prime Minister personally and handed over these requests, but no action was taken and no funds were released. NITI Aayog has recommended that an amount of Rs 24 205 crores be released for Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya schemes, the centre had not even released 24 paise”, Harish Rao said.
Telangana Finance Minister said that it is customary for the Centre to accept the recommendations of the Finance Commission but the present Central govt has not followed that custom. According to him, the 15th Finance commission recommended that during the year 2020-21, an amount of Rs 723 crore is to be given to Telangana as a special grant but the same was disregarded. A total of Rs 5,385 crores grants including State-specific and sector-specific grants were denied to Telangana by the centre, he added.
Talking about the latest Union Budget, Harish Rao said that no justice was done to Telangana. He said that no irrigation project was given national status, no money was given to any programme and it was only a sweet talk without the offer of any concrete help.
“In spite of all the adversities and limitations, Telangana has become a financially strong economy,” said Telangana Finance Minister Harish Rao.