Centre blocking TS growth: Harish Rao

Hyderabad: The State Budget 2022-23 was introduced with about a 30-minute preface which had heavy political overtones, accusing the Central government for having failed to follow the principle of cooperative federalism as it was discriminating against the state since day one of its formation.

Finance Minister T Harish Rao started his speech alleging that in the combined State, we suffered at the hands of the then rulers and now similar discrimination was there from the Centre which 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 state. 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.

The government wanted to showcase how the state has become progressive despite all the hurdles created by the Centre. Analysts say it was more of an exercise to tell other parties with whom KCR proposed to form a front about his vision for development which could be extended at national level.

However, he said 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 crore and capital expenditure is Rs 29,728.44 crore.

Making a mention about projects not being allocated to Telangana by the Centre, Harish Rao said the Centre had initially allocated the ITIR project 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 was delayed.

"With great hope and expectations, Telangana state submitted a number of proposals to the Centre. The Chief Minister himself met the Prime Minister personally but no action was taken, and no funds were released. NITI Aayog had recommended that an amount of Rs 24,205 crore be released for the Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya schemes, the Centre had not even released 24 paise," Harish Rao said.

The Telangana Finance Minister said that it is customary for the Centre to accept the recommendations of the Finance Commission but the present Central government 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 crore grants, including State-specific and sector-specific grants were denied to Telangana by the Centre, he said.

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.

He signed off saying that "in spite of all the adversities and limitations, Telangana has become a financially strong economy."