Harish Rao presents a tax-free budget for Telangana that totals Rs. 2.9 trillion
A tax-free budget of Rs 2,90,396 crore for 2023–24 was presented by Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Monday in the State Legislative Assembly in Hyderabad. The estimated total revenue spending for this is Rs 2,11,685 crore, while the estimated total capital spending is Rs 37,525 crore. This budget for 2022–2023 represents an increase of almost Rs 34,000 crore above the previous one of Rs 2.56 lakh crore.
In the most recent budget, the State administration gave infrastructure improvement and public welfare top priority. A total of Rs 2,500 crore and Rs 2,000 crore, respectively, were allocated for the upkeep of Panchayat Raj roads and Roads and Buildings roads, respectively. For new hires in various government ministries, almost Rs 1,000 crore has been set aside.
Harish Rao approved Rs 12,980 crore for the flagship Dalit Bandhu programme of the State administration, ensuring that this year 1,100 people will receive benefits for each of the 118 seats in the State. For the benefit of 2,000 eligible individuals in each of the 119 seats in the State, almost Rs 7,890 crore has been set aside for the construction of double bedroom homes. The Chief Minister will decide how to distribute another 25,000 homes.
The Finance Minister further said that the State government will release the State’s matching share along with the funding from the Finance Commission straight to the bank accounts of the local governments in order to effectively implement the Palle Pragathi and Pattana Pragathi programmes in the State. A total of Rs 3,360 crore and Rs 1,474 crore have been approved for Palle Pragathi and Pattan Pragathi, respectively.
The State government would provide around Rs 26,831 crore for the Agriculture department and Rs 2,071 crore for the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries department, maintaining its commitment to giving agriculture and related industries top priority. Harish Rao enhanced the agriculture loan waiver plan amount from Rs 4,000 crore in 2022–2023 to Rs 6,385 crore in 2023–2024 and set aside Rs 15,075 lakh crore for Rythu Bandhu, Rs 1,589 crore for Rythu Bima insurance.
The Irrigation department received a total of Rs 26,885 million in funding. The Panchayat Raj and Rural Development ministries would each receive a share of Rs 31,426 crore, which is higher than the Finance department’s allocation of Rs 49,749 crore for wages, pensions, and other expenses.
Harish Rao charged the Center with discriminating against Telangana and placing obstacles in the way of the State’s development while presenting the State budget. According to him, the Center slashed the State by Rs 15,033 crore and went against the country’s federal structure. He emphasised that the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act’s promises have not been fulfilled. The Center owed the Backward Districts Development Fund around Rs. 1,350 crore.
He said that despite the Center’s limitations and bias, Telangana has not made any concessions to the people’s welfare and development programmes. Despite the disruptive forces attempting to undermine social and communal peace, Telangana, according to him, is retaining its “Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb” and is therefore continuing its upward trajectory.
“Telangana will go forward and contribute significantly to the development of the country in the years to come. Let’s keep working together nonstop to improve the lives of upper caste impoverished people, minorities, dalits, tribals, and other weaker groups. I respectfully beseech all the people of Telangana to lend their complete support and assistance in this noble and uncompromising undertaking,” he said in closing.
