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Telangana presents Rs 2.56 lakh crore budget

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Telangana Finance Minister T. Harish Rao on Monday presented a Rs 2.56 lakh crore budget for financial year 2022-23, up from last year’s budget size of Rs 2.31 lakh crore.

Presenting the budget in the Assembly, he proposed total expenditure of Rs 2,56,958.51 crore. Out of this, revenue expenditure is Rs 1,89,274.82 crore and capital expenditure is Rs 29,728.44 crore.

The government allocated Rs 17,700 crore for Dalit Bandhu, a new scheme launched last year on pilot basis for economic empowerment of Dalits. Under the scheme, every Dalit family will get Rs 10 lakh grant for any entrepreneurial activity of its choice.

Harish Rao called it a historic and first of its kind scheme in the country providing the highest amount of assistance directly to the beneficiary.

In all the Assembly segments of the state, 11,800 families would get the benefit at the rate of 100 families per Assembly segment.

He said by the end of the next financial year, the programme would cover two lakh families, and the government is determined to cover all the Dalit families in the state in a phased manner.

Stating that Telangana recovered much faster following the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, Harish Rao said as per the advance estimates, the GSDP growth in 2021-22 is estimated at 11.2 per cent, at constant prices, as compared with the national GDP growth of 8.9 per cent.

At current prices, GSDP growth is estimated at 19.1 per cent as compared with the estimated GDP growth of 19.4 per cent.

He pointed out that the GSDP of Telangana in 2013-14, at the time of the state’s formation (2014) was Rs 4,51,580 crore, and by 2021-22, it has gone up to Rs 11,54,860 crore.

At the country level, during 2020-21, there was a negative growth rate of (-) 1.4 per cent due to the adverse impact of corona, and many states also registered negative growth rates. But Telangana clocked a positive growth rate of 2.2 per cent during 2020-21, he said.

“The fact that Telangana withstood the havoc of the pandemic is a testimony to the strong foundations laid since the formation of the state for sustained and resilient economy.”

The contribution of Telangana to the country’s GDP improved from 4.06 per cent in 2014-15 to 4.97 per cent in 2021-22. During the last seven years, Telangana is the only state in the country whose contribution in the national economy has grown by almost 1 per cent, the minister said.

He said that the growth of Telangana has become much more broad-based. Industry and services sectors recorded impressive growth over 2020-21, and the secondary sector consisting of manufacturing and construction recorded an impressive growth of 21.5 per cent in current prices over contraction of 0.3 per cent in 2020-21.

The services sector too improved its performance significantly to 18.3 per cent in the current year over the previous year’s growth of 0.9 per cent.

He claimed that in terms of growth of per capita income, Telangana’s performance has been spectacular. In 2014-15, the per capita income of Telangana at Rs 1,24,104 was higher than the national per capita income of Rs 86,647 by 1.43 times. By 2021-22, the per capita income of the state at Rs 2,78,833 exceeded the national average of Rs 1,49,848 by 1.86 times.

The state recorded a higher growth of 18.8 per cent in per capita income in 2021-22 as compared with the national growth of 18.1 per cent. In 2020-21, Telangana is a top-ranking state in per capita income among all the southern states. This is the achievement of the people of Telangana, he said.

Harish Rao said Telangana maintained its growth momentum even in adverse situations and that it has emerged as an economic powerhouse and as one of the fastest-growing states in the country.

He slammed the Centre for discrimination towards the state, and creating hurdles in the path of progress of the State, saying that instead of incentivising the states which are progressing, the Centre is trying to actively discourage them.

Harish Rao said the promises made in the Reorganisation Act are also not yet fulfilled. “As if this was not enough, whenever there is a discussion on the formation of Telangana, it is commented that it is 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.”

Noting that the Information Technology and Investment Region project allocated to Telangana was cancelled, he said that 9 districts of the erstwhile state were notified as backward districts, but the grant which was supposed to be given to these districts is delayed. On one hand, the Centre talks about cooperative federalism, but on the other, it acts against the spirit of federalism and is encroaching on the powers of the state, he said.

He recalled that NITI Aayog had recommended that an amount of Rs 24,205 crore be released for Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya schemes, but “the Centre has not even released 24 paise”.

The 15th Finance Commission has recommended that during 2020-21, an amount of Rs 723 crore is to be given to Telangana as a special grant, but the same was disregarded.

State specific grants of Rs 2,362 crore and sector specific grants of Rs 3,024 crore were also denied. In all, a sum of Rs 5,386 crore were denied to Telangana by the Centre, which did not even extend financial assistance to tackle Covid-19 pandemic, he said.

The enhanced borrowing under FRBM was linked to reforms in the power sector, and Telangana will be deprived of Rs 25,000 crore over the next five years, he said, adding that the “autocratic attitude of the Centre can be understood from this”.

“For the sake of these Rs 25,000 crore, the state has to implement a series of reforms in the power sector which are particularly against the farming community interests. The state government is not interested in making the farmers pay for the power which is being provided to them. That is not the policy of Telangana state. Chief Minister KCR has told Centre that such a policy would not be implemented as long as he is alive.”

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Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Hands Over 8.5 Lakh Govt Appointment Letters At 14th Rozgar Mela In Gandhinagar

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Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday distributed job appointment letters for government positions during the 14th edition of Rozgar Mela held at the BSF campus in Gandhinagar.

The Union Minister said, “Under the leadership of PM Modi, a new India is emerging, with new employment opportunities being created in both the government and private sectors and job placements being done. I am happy that in the 14th edition of Rozgar Mela, 8.5 lakh job appointment letters have been given.”

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed more than 71,000 appointment letters to newly appointed recruits through video conferencing. Addressing the occasion, PM Modi extended wishes to the new recruits.”I have had many professional discussions with the youth of India in Kuwait.

After coming here, my first program is with the youth of the country. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the youth and their families,” he said.He emphasized that the government’s top priority is to make full use of the potential and talent of India’s youth.”Through Rozgar Mela, we are continuously working in this direction.

“For the past 10 years, there has been a campaign in various government ministries, departments, and institutions to provide government jobs. Even today, over 71,000 youth have been appointed. In the last 1.5 years, our government has provided permanent government jobs to nearly 10 lakh youth. This is a massive record in itself,” PM Modi said.

“In previous governments, no such initiative to provide permanent government jobs to youth in mission mode existed, but today, not only are millions of youth getting jobs in the country but these jobs are being provided with complete honesty and transparency,” he highlighted.

The Prime Minister also mentioned that the development of any country happens through the strength and leadership of its youth.

“Everyone has taken a pledge to build a developed India by 2047. We believe in this pledge because at the heart of every policy and decision in India is the talented youth of the country. Look at the policies of the past decade–Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Startup India, Standup India, Digital India–each of these programs was designed with the youth at the centre. India has changed its policies in the space sector, boosted manufacturing in the defence sector, and the biggest beneficiaries of these changes are the youth,” PM Modi said.

Rozgar Mela is a step to provide meaningful opportunities to the youth for their participation in nation-building and self-empowerment.

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Delhi BJP releases ‘chargesheet’ against Kejriwal, AAP govt

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New Delhi, Dec 23: The Delhi BJP on Monday released a political “chargesheet” against AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and his party, enlisting alleged failures of the Delhi government over the last 10 years and instances of corruption involving ministers.

Releasing the “chargesheet” or “Aarop Patra” ahead of Assembly elections, former Union Minister Anurag Thakur said, “About Rs 52 crore of public money was wasted on Kejriwal’s luxurious Sheeshmahal (official residence). The AAP promised to clean Yamuna by 2025, but it turned into a toxic sewer filled with poisonous foam.”

He said that during the 10 years of “misgovernance,” Delhi turned into a “corruption capital.”

“Eight AAP ministers, 15 legislators and an MP have been jailed in these years,” he said, pointing to the liquor policy scam and slamming Kejriwal’s promise of ridding the city of corruption.

The BJP MP also targeted the AAP government for ignoring women’s safety, alleging that it failed to utilise the Nirbhaya Fund or build promised fast-track courts.

Kejriwal’s promises of fighting pollution, improving the quality of education and ending the tanker mafia have not been fulfilled in 10 years, said Thakur.

“The AQI once crossed 1,200, and even today it is over 500,” he said, adding that Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, who took a dip in the Yamuna, would be able to give a first-hand account of how polluted the river was despite tall claims by the AAP government.

“Delhi’s air pollution equals smoking 50 cigarettes a day. AAP failed to take action. The city is now home to the world’s tallest garbage mountain due to the AAP government’s mismanagement,” he said.

The BJP “chargesheet” also alleged that fake medicines distributed in Mohalla Clinics claimed lives, exposing AAP’s “world-class health model.” Thakur alleged that Rs 1,125 crore were wasted on incomplete ICU hospitals.

Delhi’s youth were betrayed by the AAP government as 29 Pratibha schools were shut under it, depriving students of quality education, he said.

Referring to the tanker mafia, Thakur said Rs 28,400 crore was allocated to the Delhi Jal Board, yet residents rely on tankers for water.

While the AAP promised free water, it has supplied only dirty, toxic water, risking public health, he said.

The former Union Minister said the AAP government’s promises of giving a “world-class drainage system” have been exposed by water-logging and monsoon deaths.

He added that the cost of water is the highest in the city.

Later, speaking to the reporters, Thakur said, “Arvind Kejriwal is the culprit behind the problems of Delhi residents. The infection of lungs in 22 lakh children is due to Delhi’s pollution and dirty water, which is the result of the failures of Kejriwal’s government.”

“They couldn’t utilise the Nirbhaya Fund, and the initiative to provide Rs 6,000 each to pregnant women was left incomplete. Now, after 10 years, they talk of distributing money. Where was Kejriwal’s government all this time? Where was the respect for women?” he questioned.

Criticising the management of the national capital’s finances, Thakur said, “Despite thousands of crores in Delhi’s treasury, the government is under debt. They talk about good education, yet one-and-a-half lakh students in classes 9 and 11 failed. Crores are spent on advertisements, but their sports university exists only on paper, and their skill and entrepreneurship universities remain under-utilised.”

He also accused the AAP government of doing disservice to the poor by denying them access to healthcare by not implementing the Central government’s Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.

“By refusing to implement the scheme, they have taken away the right of the poor to avail medical insurance for treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh. Whether it’s clean water, free treatment, good education, better roads, or a pollution-free environment, the common citizen of Delhi feels betrayed,” Thakur said, calling Kejriwal the “biggest cheater.”

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‘Congress Remembers Dalits Only In Bad Times,’ Says BSP Chief Mayawati, Slamming Rahul Gandhi’s Parbhani Visit

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Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his visit to violence-hit Parbhani in Maharashtra. She said he was going there only to shed crocodile tears and accused the Congress of historically adopting a casteist and contemptuous attitude toward Dalits and backward classes.

Taking to X on Monday, Mayawati wrote, “Unfortunate incidents like Parbhani happened as a result of disrespect/insult towards the original architect of the Indian Constitution, the most revered Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and the feeling of inferiority towards his crores of followers. It is proved that Congress and BJP are not their true well-wishers, everyone’s intentions and policies are flawed.”

BSP Chief Mayawati On Rahul Gandhi’s Visit

Referring to Gandhi’s visit, Mayawati said, “The Congress leader’s visit today to Parbhani is nothing more than shedding crocodile tears because the Congress’ attitude towards the interests and welfare of Babasaheb and his followers has always been casteist and contemptuous, both during his lifetime and after his death. They remember the Dalits and backward classes only in their bad times.”

About Rahul Gandhi’s Visit To Parbhani

Rahul Gandhi, during his brief visit to Parbhani, will meet the bereaved families of Somnath Vyankat Suryawanshi, 35, who was studying his LlB, and another Dalit social worker Vijay Wakode, who suffered a heart attack and succumbed while attempting to control the rampaging mobs on December 11-12.

BSP Chief Calls For A Peacefl Nationwide Demonstration

The BSP chief also called for a peaceful nationwide demonstration at district headquarters to demand the withdrawal of alleged anti-Ambedkar remarks made in Parliament. “The entire society should unite and make these protests successful,” she urged, cautioning against “deceptive politics” carried out in the name of Ambedkar.

Mayawati reiterated her party’s commitment to its Ambedkarite mission, stating, “The BSP’s self-respect movement aims to empower the ‘Bahujan Samaj’ politically, while other parties merely pretend to champion Ambedkar’s legacy for political gains. Their actions are duplicitous — Ram on their lips, but a knife under their arm.”

The BSP has announced a nationwide agitation on December 24 to protest against Home Minister Amit Shah’s controversial remarks about Dr Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar in Parliament, which they claim disrespected the architect of India’s Constitution.

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