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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.”

Crime

RG Kar rape victim’s parents dismiss NCRB report calling Kolkata ‘safest city’

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Kolkata, Oct 4: The parents of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, on Saturday, have refuted the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) published, where Kolkata has been termed as the safest city across the country.

As per the NCRB report, Kolkata for 2023 (latest available) has recorded the lowest cognisable offences per lakh people, which is the fourth time in a row.

On Saturday, while speaking to the media persons, the parents of the R.G. Kar victim rubbished this part of the NCRB report, and claimed that these findings were not based on proper field research and probably the report was prepared to please anyone.

“Was my daughter secured, and that too at her workplace? Was the senior citizen at Kultali in South 24 Parganas district, who became a victim of gang-rape this week, safe? No one is secure here. I do not know who prepared the report. It seems that the report was prepared while sitting in the comfort of the office and without any proper field-based research,” the victim’s mother said.

The victim’s father expressed doubts over the credibility of those in the NCRB who have prepared the report.

“I do not know who in NCRB is responsible for preparing such reports. Even if I believe that the report of Kolkata being the safest city in the country, does that not mean the safety aspect in other Indian cities is unimaginable? I doubt that the NCRB had been misled, and hence the outcome was such a report,” the victim’s father said.

According to him, the only possibility is that the police personnel in Kolkata do not register most of the complaints filed by common people, and hence the crime figures in the city are projected as low.

“We can realise what the reality is since our daughter left. Probably, the experiences are the same,” he added.

As per the latest report of NCRB, Kolkata recorded 83.9 cognisable offences per lakh people in 2023, the lowest among the 19 cities.

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Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray Slams BJP For Vitiating Harmony; Calls Devendra Fadnavis ‘Helpless’ CM Amid Corruption, Farmer Distress

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Pune, Oct 4: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday dubbed Devendra Fadnavis a “helpless” chief minister who has failed to crack down on “rampant corruption” under his watch.

Citing the announcement of various welfare schemes in poll-bound Bihar, he appealed to the Centre to extend financial assistance to women in Maharashtra.

Thackeray addressed gatherings of women and Sena (UBT) workers in Pune. He also interacted with the media.

Addressing an interaction organised by the Pune Union of Working Journalists, Thackeray said the Sena (UBT) did not need a certificate on Hindutva from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was “creating walls within the country.”

“India is a beautiful country. It has a great culture. However, these people (BJP) have vitiated the entire atmosphere and made it hell. These people have created walls within the country. I have been working hard to prevent further deterioration.

“I have said time and again that the BJP cannot run governments in the state or at the Centre. The Narendra Modi government has failed to address issues in Kashmir and Manipur,” the former Maharashtra chief minister alleged..

The BJP is taking the country on the path of dictatorship, Thackeray added. Attacking Fadnavis, he said, “I don’t consider anybody as an enemy, not even the prime minister. But considering the state’s current situation, the chief minister looks ‘hatbal’ (helpless) despite (BJP-led Mahayuti) having a brute majority. Despite several instances of corruption, the CM is helpless to act against corrupt individuals,” he claimed.

Thackeray alleged the Fadnavis government had failed to help farmers, hit by heavy rains and floods..

Responding to criticism that he had abandoned the Hindutva fold (after his alliance with the Congress and NCP (SP) in 2019), the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader claimed it was the BJP that had started ‘Saugat-e Modi’ campaign to appease Muslims.

“I do not require any certificate on Hindutva from the BJP. My grandfather (Prabhodankar Thackeray) was a well-known reformer. Our Hindutva has been progressive,” he said.

Thackeray also slammed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for “big talks” against Pakistan.

Singh on Friday asserted that the NDA government has demonstrated, through the 2016 surgical strike, 2019 Balakot airstrike, and the recent Operation Sindoor, that the country can cross any border whenever necessary to protect citizens and safeguard India’s unity and integrity.

Addressing a gathering of women, Thackeray stated that the state government provided financial assistance to women for two to three months during elections, just to win votes.

“This is cheating. Ladki Bahins desperately need financial help. I hope PM Modi will announce some aid during his upcoming visit to Maharashtra”, he added.

Thackeray said the (Central) government acted promptly when Bihar needed financial help. “If you are providing assistance, do not restrict it to Bihar; extend it to all women in the country. These women are not paid voters,” he added.

Addressing Sena (UBT) workers, Thackeray called for expanding the party network by setting up “shakhas” or branch offices.

Without naming Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, he said the attempt to break the Shiv Sena will never succeed. He said the Sena (UBT) can win the upcoming elections to local bodies in Maharashtra, provided it works hard.

“Vote theft is the result of illegal voting. Why can’t we do the same thing that Rahul Gandhi ji has done? Find bogus voters. We won the Lok Sabha polls, but lost assembly polls, which were held shortly,” he told the party workers..

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Mumbai: BMC Chief Bhushan Gagrani Inspects Goregaon-Mulund Link Road & Coastal Road (North) Projects, Orders To Expedite Work

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Mumbai: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani, on Saturday, inspected key infrastructure projects in Mumbai, including the twin tunnel site at Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in Goregaon under Phase 3(B) of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project and the Versova–Bhayander stretch of the Mumbai Coastal Road (North).

During the visit, Gagrani reviewed project layouts, interacted with engineers and issued firm directives to speed up the work. He stressed that all necessary permissions and no-objection certificates (NOCs) for the Coastal Road (North) project must be secured without delay and instructed officials to fast-track land acquisition for areas affected by the alignment.

Deputy Commissioner (Infrastructure) Shashank Bhore, Chief Engineer (Bridges) Uttam Shrote, P North Ward Assistant Commissioner Kundan Valvi, along with other senior officials and project consultants, accompanied him on the inspection.

The BMC chief’s visit also highlighted progress on the six-lane flyover between Dindoshi Court and Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari, a crucial part of Phase 3(A) of the GMLR project. Out of 31 planned piers, 27 have already been completed, with work on the remaining four currently underway near Ratnagiri Junction. The flyover, stretching 1,265 meters, is being built using box girders and reinforced concrete and will also feature a pedestrian bridge equipped with escalators.

According to the project timeline, girder launching, deck slab casting, and approach road construction will begin soon. The approach road at Dindoshi Court is expected to be finished by January 31, 2026, while the one at Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari will be completed by April 30, 2026. The flyover is targeted to open for traffic by May 16, 2026. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijeet Bangar also reviewed the project’s progress at the BMC headquarters on Friday.

A senior BMC bridge department official said that of the 26 spans, 12 have been completed, with the remaining 14 scheduled for completion by February 15, 2026. While construction is progressing steadily on most parts, some work on the Mulund side is facing delays due to rehabilitation and land acquisition challenges. Once resolved, the pending flyover work will resume.

The Rs 14,000-crore GMLR project, spanning 12.2 km, will link the Western Express Highway at Goregaon with the Eastern Express Highway at Mulund, slashing travel time between the suburbs from 75 minutes to just 25. Once completed, it promises to deliver seamless east-west connectivity across Mumbai, easing congestion and commuter woes.

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