Telangana Budget pegged at Rs 3.04 crore, focus on public welfare, industrial growth

Hyderabad: The Telangana Government on Wednesday presented a second full-time budget with an outlay of Rs 3,04,965 crore with Rs 2,26,982 crore allocated for revenue expenditure and Rs 36,504 crore for capital expenditure.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who is also the finance minister, presented the 2025-26 budget in the State Legislative Assembly.

Mega Master Plan 2050

One of the budget’s main highlights is the Mega Master Plan 2050 for industrial growth, which calls for the creation of greenfield industrial clusters in the districts of Ranga Reddy and Mahabubnagar. These clusters will have top-notch infrastructure, which will enable biotech, life sciences, and pharmaceutical industries to expand their operations.

The Pharma City will function as a specialized center for the manufacturing of synthetic medications, vaccines, antibiotics, nutraceuticals, herbal remedies, and cosmetics.

Under the HICITI program, the government has announced plans to build 31 flyovers and 17 underpasses at a cost of Rs 7,032 crore to relieve urban congestion.

In his budget speech, Bhatti Vikramarka said, “The people of Telangana have trusted us and given us power. We are governing while being accountable to the people. We are uplifting the economy, which was shattered during the previous government’s rule. The Congress government is working with short-term and long-term benefits in mind.”

Fighting misinformation

He said that a section of people are spreading misinformation.

They are blaming and making allegations against every action of the government. The previous government left the people disappointed by promising to provide double-bedroom houses, he said. “It is our responsibility to inform the people of the facts and make it clear that our goal is inclusive development and public welfare,” Bhatti said.

Elaborating further, Bhatti said that policies and programmes are being developed under the leadership of chief minister A Revanth Reddy and the ‘Telangana Rising 2050’ vision to drive long-term progress. The strategic roadmap for the next decade expects a fivefold expansion of the existing USD 200 billion state economy to a trillion-dollar economy with China plus one strategy, he said, and added that Telangana’s economy continues to grow steadily, despite the fast changes in the global economic scene.

‘Telangana’s GSDP at a 10.1 per cent growth rate’

“Telangana’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for the fiscal year 2024–2025 is Rs 16,12,579 crore at current prices, representing a 10.1 per cent growth rate over the previous year. Meanwhile, India’s GDP for the same period was Rs 3,31,03,215 crore, representing a 9.9 per cent growth rate,” the finance minister said. He added that the service sector accounts for 66.3 per cent of Telangana’s Gross State Value Added (GSVA) in 2024–2025, followed by the agricultural and related sectors at 17.3 per cent and the manufacturing sector at 16.4 per cent.

On the other hand, the deputy chief minister also claimed that the new ration cards have been mainly overlooked in the decade since the inception of Telangana. He stated that the previous government ignored the requirements of the impoverished families who were eagerly awaiting aid and did not add new family members to the current ration cards.

Future City beacon for the country

The Future City, which the minister referred to as India's first Net-Zero Future City and which sets a new benchmark for smart and sustainable urbanization, was also included in the budget. This environmentally friendly, ultra-modern metropolis, which is planned to compete with the best cities in the world, will have cutting-edge technology, sophisticated infrastructure, and a pollution-free atmosphere, Bhatti said.

"We are also creating a future city that will be a beacon for the country. It will be located between the Srisailam-Nagarjuna Sagar roads and being set up in an area of 765 square kilometres, covering 56 villages. The Future City will have an AI City, Pharma Hub, Sports City, Clean Energy, Innovation Zones, Multi-modal Connectivity and Electric Public Transport. The Future City Development Authority (FCDA) will oversee this project. It will also be home to specialized zones including an AI City, Pharma Hub, Sports City, and Clean Energy Innovation Zone, establishing it as a global center for industry, technology, and sustainable growth," said Bhatti Vikramarka.

State govt establish SPEED to complete significant projects

To expedite the completion of 19 important projects within the allotted period, the state government established SPEED (Smart, Proactive, Efficient, and Effective Delivery). To guarantee on-time delivery and maximize public value, this effort focuses on proactive execution, real-time monitoring, and effective resource management. The Musi Riverfront Development, Metro Rail Expansion, Regional Ring Road Construction, Telangana Bhavan Construction in Delhi, and the New Osmania Hospital Building are a few of the significant projects under SPEED, the deputy chief minister said.

Bhatti also said that the ORR Phase-2 water supply project has reached its final stage. “We will provide drinking water to the expanded areas of HMDA through Phase-2 and will allocate Rs 5,942 crore for the comprehensive flood irrigation project in Hyderabad," he added.

The budget has made significant allocations across various sectors. Here are the details of allocations for various sectors:

Scheduled Castes Welfare - Rs 40,232 crore

Panchayati Raj & Rural - Rs 31,605 crore

Agriculture - Rs 24,439 crore

Irrigation - Rs 23,373 crore

Education - Rs 23,108 crore

Energy - Rs 21,221 crore

Municipal Administration - Rs 17,677 crore

Scheduled Tribes Welfare - Rs 17,169 crore

Health - Rs 12,393 crore

Backward Classes Welfare - Rs 11,405 crore

Roads & Buildings - Rs 5,907 crore

Civil Supplies - Rs 5,734 crore

Minority Welfare - Rs 3,591 crore

Industries - Rs 3,527 crore

Women and Child Welfare - Rs 2,862 crore

Animal Husbandry - Rs 1,674 crore

Forests & Environment - Rs 1,023 crore

Youth Services - Rs 900 crore

Tourism - Rs 775 crore

Information Technology - Rs 774 crore

Sports - Rs 465 crore

Handlooms - Rs 371 crore