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Telangana financially on a firm footing

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Despite the dent in revenues during the last two years due to Covid pandemic and lack of help from the Centre, Telangana financially appears to be on a firm footing.

With a higher growth rate and per capita income than many bigger states, India’s youngest state has become the fourth largest contributor to national GDP in a short span of less than eight years and claims to be a model for the entire country in welfare and development.

According to 2020-21 budget estimates, Telangana’s estimated outstanding public debt will be over Rs 2.86 lakh crore. However, the economists say the state has the capacity to manage debts.

According to a study paper released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last month, Telangana’s debt-to-GSDP ratio is the lowest in the country, indicating the fiscal health of the state.

Based on the annual data between 2014-15 and 2018-19, the study paper revealed that the State Performance Composite Index (SPCI) of Telangana has improved. SPCI measures both the fiscal performance and market development of states.

The average debt to Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Telangana from 2014-15 to 2018-19 was 16.1 per cent, which is the lowest among the states in the country.

According to state finance minister T. Harish Rao, Telangana is among the states having the lowest debt burden in the country, dismissing the claim by the opposition parties that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government has pushed the state into a debt trap.

Harish Rao had told the state Assembly last year that Telangana’s debt burden is only 22.8 per cent of GSDP, which is well within the permissible limits under the FRBM Act. Telangana was then at the third place from the bottom in the country.

“The Centre’s debt burden is 62.2 per cent of GDP while Telangana’s debt burden is just 22.8 per cent of GSDP,” he had stated.

The RBI also revealed recently that Telangana is the fourth largest contributor to the country’s economy. According to “Handbook of Statistics on the Indian Economy 2020-21” the Net State Value Added (NSVA) by Telangana at current prices to the country increased from Rs 4,16,930 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 8,10,503 crore in 2020-21.

Leaders of ruling TRS say this contribution is significant considering the fact that Telangana is the 11th largest state in terms of geographical area and 12th in terms of population.

According to Telangana State Statistical Abstract Report released this week, provisional estimates show the GSDP of Telangana at current prices in 2020-21 was Rs 9,80,407 crore. Between 2012-13 and 2020-21, the average annual GSDP growth of Telangana was 6.8 per cent and GDP of India was 5.1 per cent.

For 2021-22, the state presented a Rs 2.31 lakh crore budget despite the pandemic drastically impacting the state’s economy. For 2020-21 the budget size was Rs 1.82 lakh crore.

The budget for FY22 comprised revenue expenditure of Rs 1.69-lakh crore and capital expenditure of Rs 29,046 crore. The fiscal deficit went up to Rs 45,509 crore from Rs 33,191 crore in the previous financial year.

Telangana’s growth rate has been consistently higher. In 2018-19 it was 9.8 per cent against GDP growth rate of 6.5 per cent. The growth rate was 6 per cent in 2019-20 against GDP growth rate of 4 per cent. In 2020-21, it was -0.6 per cent against All India -7.3 per cent.

In another key performance indicator, the per capita income of Telangana increased from Rs 91,121 in 2011-12 to Rs 2,37,632 in 2020-21. This is against all India averages ranging from Rs 63,462 in 2011-12 to Rs 1,28,829 in 2020-21.

In another boost for Telangana, the latest data by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy revealed that the state has lowest unemployment at 0.7 per cent.

Economist Papa Rao believes that Telangana has no financial worries as it is performing well despite not receiving the support from the Centre. “Some debts were unduly raised but the state has the capacity to manage them. It can generate its own resources,” he said while pointing out that the state’s tax revenues have gone up during the current year. He, however, said the state should be cautious in raising new loans.

According to him, Telangana in a short span of time has emerged as a progressive state with Hyderabad as the growth engine attracting massive investments. The state created assets in the form of irrigation projects and Mission Bhagiratha which envisages drinking water supply to every house.

He, however, believes that Dalit Bandhu scheme launched by TRS government recently is not viable. Under the scheme claimed to be the only one of its kind in the country, the government plans to provide Rs 10 lakh grant to every Dalit family.

“There are 50 lakh Dalit families. Mobilizing such huge funds is very difficult. This may take many years and may not yield desired results,” Papa Rao said.

Pointing out that an overwhelming majority of Dalits are agriculture labourers, the economist said distribution of land rather than cash would have been more practical.

The state claims to be number one in welfare in the country with a welfare budget of over Rs 40,000 crore. It is implementing a plethora of welfare schemes from social security pensions to various categories to financial help for marriages of poor girls to Rythu Bandhu under which every farmer gets Rs 10,000 as annual investment support for every acre.

However, opposition Congress party leader Dasoju Srravan says that welfare programs should ultimately empower people. “Farmers’ suicides have not stopped despite Rythu Bandhu. During the last 4-5 years 8,000 farmers have ended their lives. Farmers do not want Bandhus, they want MSP for the hard work they put in and market support for agricultural produce,” he said.

The national spokesperson of the Congress party believes that the TRS government is focusing more on voter alluring programs but not voter empowerment programs. “As a result the state has landed into a serious debt trap and today we are a financially bankrupt state. We don’t have money for salaries and we don’t have money for repayment to contractors.”

He blamed lopsided priorities of the government, mismanagement, callous understanding of development for this situation. “On top of it is mysterious corruption in projects. TRS leadership has become extremely rich overnight,” he said.

The Congress leader alleged that the state government is making people addicted to liquor by opening more and more wine and bar shops across the state. “It is giving pensions and some money under Rythu Bandhu but draining their resources through sales tax on liquor. See how liquor revenue has increased in these 7-8 years,” he said.

The revenue from liquor sales, which was Rs 10,833 crore, has gone up to Rs 27,888 crore in 2020-21.

He alleged that the TRS government completely ignored sectors like education, health and employment generation

“The chief minister proudly says a private villa in Hyderabad costs Rs 25 crore and still people are coming and buying. Is that a development indicator? It is a third-rate governance indicator. In management we call it critical incident analysis while analyzing performance. The CM made critical comments reflecting his innate mindset and how he sees development,” Srravan said.

National News

241 dead, one survivor as Air India Dreamliner crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad: Air India

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New Delhi, June 13: In what is being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.

The aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College, killing 241 people on board.

The ill-fated flight had 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew, and two pilots. According to officials, only one person, a British national of Indian origin seated in 11A, survived the crash and is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

The aircraft took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.38 p.m. (IST) on Thursday before losing control moments later and crashing into a densely populated area, igniting a massive blaze and triggering emergency response teams across the city.

Air India confirmed the accident in an official statement on X: “UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital.”

The airline also shared the nationality breakdown of passengers: 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support,” the statement added.

The national carrier has pledged full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the crash and has established dedicated helplines for families seeking information.

Domestic callers can reach the support team at 1800 5691 444, while international callers are advised to dial +91 8062779200.

Regular updates will be provided through Air India’s official website and its X handle.

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Plastic nurdle spill from sunken cargo ship reaches TN’s Dhanushkodi sanctuary, raising alarm

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Chennai, June 10: A plastic nurdle spill from the sunken cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 has spread into the newly declared Dhanushkodi Greater Flamingo Sanctuary in Ramanathapuram district, threatening one of India’s most fragile coastal ecosystems.

The MSC ELSA 3, a Liberian-flagged vessel, sank off the Kochi coast a few weeks ago while carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, 12 with calcium carbide, 367 tonnes of furnace oil, and 84 tonnes of diesel.

The ship’s cargo manifest remains undisclosed, fuelling speculation about the full extent of environmental risk.

Dhanushkodi Sanctuary, located within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, supports 128 species of birds — including Greater and Lesser Flamingos — and is home to sea turtles, crustaceans, molluscs, and fish. Its dunes, marshes, and seagrass beds form part of the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds.

The nurdles — tiny plastic pellets used in industrial manufacturing — resemble fish eggs and can be deadly to marine life. When ingested, they cause internal blockages, starvation, and often death. They also absorb toxins, entering the food chain and posing long-term health hazards.

About 80 bags, each weighing 25 kilograms, have reportedly washed ashore along a 12-km coastal stretch. Affected sites include the Dhanushkodi old church, Irattaithalai, Mugandharayan Chathiram, Gothanda Ramar temple, and Patchappatti village.

Carried by ocean currents from the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanniyakumari coast, the spill now threatens the adjacent Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, home to vital coral reefs and seagrass beds.

Experts warn these habitats could be smothered by plastic debris, blocking sunlight and disrupting photosynthesis.

Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon said, “We’ve identified between 15 and 30 nurdle bags along the coast. A special team has been deployed for cleanup, and additional teams are monitoring for further debris.”

He urged the public not to panic, stating that swift action was underway.

The disaster evokes memories of the 2021 X-Press Pearl incident in Sri Lanka, where 1,680 tonnes of nurdles led to mass marine deaths and crippled fisheries.

Studies showed severe impacts on plankton and larval life forms, threatening entire food chains.

Cleanup efforts in Ramanathapuram face challenges due to the nurdles’ buoyancy and small size, worsened by monsoon waves that break them into microplastics.

With the 61-day annual fishing ban nearing its end, fishermen fear reduced fish catches and consumer hesitancy could harm their livelihoods if the spill worsens.

Environmentalists are calling for urgent intervention, cargo transparency, and long-term containment measures to prevent irreversible damage to one of India’s most critical marine ecosystems.

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Eight Punjab and Haryana HC judges take lead to boost Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack

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Srinagar, June 9: To give a boost to Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack, eight judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court are visiting the valley along with their families.

The visit of the legal personalities along with their families carries a powerful message for the revival of tourism in Kashmir, which got shattered after the Pahalgam terror attack.

On April 22, Pakistan-backed terrorists of Lashkar-e-Kashmir (LeT) killed 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local pony owner.

The pony owner sacrificed his life while trying to protect the tourists from the bullets of the terrorists.

The terror attack caused outrage in the entire country, and to avenge the killings of innocent civilians, the Indian Armed Forces carried out airstrikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.

In retaliation for India’s attack on terrorist infrastructure, Pakistan resorted to heavy mortar shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts.

Eighteen civilians were killed in Pakistan shelling, 13 of them in Poonch district, in addition to the destruction of scores of homes, shops, a temple, a mosque, a church and a Gurudwara.

The itinerary of the visiting high court judges includes visits to the Mughal Gardens of Nishat and Shalimar, Shikara rides on the Dal Lake, a visit to the historic Pari Mahal and buying a few handicrafts at the local market.

There could be no better omen for the revival of tourism in Kashmir than the decision of the honourable justices of the High Court to come here along with their families.

Coinciding with the visit of these dignitaries, local tour and travel operators and hotel owners are reporting a gradual rise in the tourist bookings that had virtually stopped after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Tour and travel operators and others connected with the tourist industry have expressed hope that the visit by the most respected legal dignitaries, like the high court judges, will restore confidence among visitors, both domestic and foreign, that Kashmir is a safe tourist destination.

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