BRS pushing Telangana State into bankruptcy, fumes Kishan

New Delhi/Hyderabad: Union Minister of Culture and Tourism G Kishan Reddy said on Thursday the gross financial indiscipline of the BRS government is pushing the State into bankruptcy.

Addressing the media here, he said the State government diverted the Central funds meant for village panchayats by withdrawing them within an hour of being deposited in their accounts using digital keys. This was done without the knowledge of the village sarpanches or the passing of a resolution by the panchayats.

"When the aggrieved sarpanches wanted to stage a dharna the police refused to give permission. They had to go to court to get permission It shows the governance of the Kalawakuntla Constitution in the State."

Reddy also highlighted how the government had earlier diverted the MGNREGS funds to big contractors. But, when the Centre pointed out irregularities, it had burnt effigies, staged protests, and launched false propaganda to blame the Centre, he added.

The minister said the funds released to panchayats were meant for building internal roads, maintaining lights, drinking water supply and paying salaries to the sanitation and village staff.

He stated that the Centre was releasing funds directly to the panchayats. The policy is being implemented across the country. But the State government wanted the funds to be given to it. Reddy charged that the release of scholarship funds to SCs has come to a grinding halt as the government failed to send lists of students and their bank accounts.

"The State government wants the Centre to release funds to it and in turn, it will do the same for private colleges. However, it is not the way the scheme is being implemented across the country, he noted.

Reddy charged the BRS government with trying to politicise every issue, including the Centrally-supported programme of the National Oil Mission to encourage oil palm cultivation in a bid to achieve self-reliance in edible oils and to cut down on import dependency. Under its mission to encourage oil palm cultivation, the Center has released Rs 114 crore to the State during 2020–21 and 2022–23 financial years. When he asked Telangana farmers to make use of the opportunity, even this was politicised, as he pointed out.

The minister called out the double standards of the State government, blaming the Centre for every little thing. "While the Centre has been taking several measures like reducing fuel prices burden, providing free ration and vaccination, on the other hand the State government has not provided the much-needed relief to people by reducing VAT on petroleum, diesel, and petroleum products.

He added Telangana has the highest VAT tariff on petrol and diesel in the country. Additionally, since 2015, it received about Rs 69,190 crore in VAT revenues from petroleum products.

Reddy said the decision of the Centre to order a CBI probe into the Delhi liquor scam was made against the backdrop of complaints of irregularities, and the names of some TRS leaders had come to light as part of a routine investigation.

He said that his party will go to the polls as per schedule in 2024, and people wanted to see PM Narendra Modi get re-elected for the third time. "The current State leadership will lead the party till the general elections; there will be no change. He reiterated that there is no need for middlemen for his party to invite anyone into the saffron fold. "Any good person can come into the party fold, and he will be talking to them and admitting them to the party," he said. The party had approached the court only when the state government was trying to falsely implicate BJP leaders.