Telangana Assembly: War of words between BRS, Congress over delay in implementation of Super Six schemes

Hyderabad: The ongoing Telangana Assembly Budget session witnessed heated arguments exchanged between the Congress and BRS parties over the delay in implementation of the ‘Six Guarantees’ promised by the ruling government during the Assembly elections.

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu on Saturday spoke about the budget presented by the Congress government to a tune of Rs 2.91 lakh crores.

‘Congress was prepared to answer queries on budget’

“In the last decade, the economy of Telangana has been destroyed by the BRS and brought down the finances in such a way where the treasury could not pay salaries to the employees on time. In the last eight months, the Congress government has streamlined the economy and presented a holistic budget to improve the lives of farmers, youth, women and development of Hyderabad which the BRS didn’t expect,” he said.

Bhatti Vikramarka said that they expected former chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) would attend the discussion on the budget and the Congress government was prepared to answer all the queries. However, KCR skipped the sessions and alleged that during the previous BRS government, the income of the excise department was kept in the hands of a single family.

Harish Rao attacks Bhatti on budget

BRS MLA T Harish Rao said, “The budget is far from reality and a jugglery of numbers. How can the State government earn Rs 18,228 crores through the Stamps and Registrations department? What are the measures being taken by the government to increase the revenue? The Congress government should feel ashamed of the excise department. The proposed revenue from the excise department is Rs 19,884 crores in 2023-2024. Now it has been increased to Rs 25,617 crores.”

Harish Rao said that compared to the previous year, the Congress government is expecting additional revenue of Rs 7,773 crores through the excise department. The Congress should set up belt shops in every locality to augment a revenue of Rs 42,000 crores in the State. Intervening his speech, Bhatti said that Harish Rao had admitted that auctions for wine shops were conducted last year.

“Why did the BRS government go for an auction in the previous year, supposed to be held this year? The Congress government will not allow the entire revenue from the excise department to be diverted to the hands of a single family,” he said.

Harish Rao recalled that the Congress promised to remove the belt shops during the elections and now how could it increase revenue through the excise department without running the belt shops? Non-tax revenue earned by the government in the previous year was Rs 23,000 crores.

Harish Rao raises questions on loan waiver

“How can the Congress government estimate Rs 35,000 crores revenue this year through non-tax revenue? Earlier Revanth Reddy, Bhatti Vikramarka and Sridhar Babu made hue and cry when the BRS government sold out lands for the implementation of loan waiver for farmers. How can the Congress mention that it will augment Rs 10,000 crores revenue through the sale of lands? Isn’t this their dualistic attitude?” Harish Rao questioned.

The BRS MLA said that the Congress had mentioned only Rs 25,000 crores in the budget for loan waiver for the farmers as against the estimated Rs 30,000 crores. “What about the remaining Rs 5,000 crores? The Congress government promised to implement the loan waiver scheme from December 9, 2023. However, it delayed the scheme implementation citing various reasons. Because of the inordinate delay by the government, the bankers are asking the farmers to pay the interest amount for their loans,” Harish Rao said.

Harish Rao said that the governments might change but any government would be blessed by the people if the schemes are implemented properly.

“Earlier, former chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh YS Rajasekhara Reddy successfully implemented fee reimbursement for students, Aarogya Sri and 108 services. The BRS in its decade-long rule continued the schemes,” he said.

Harish Rao also asked Revanth Reddy and his cabinet colleagues to tender an open apology to the people for Telangana for failing to honor the Six Super schemes within 100 days after the formation of their government.