Telangana government not expecting funds from Centre, says Etela Rajender

Hyderabad: The Telangana government appeared to have lost hopes of Central assistance other than getting the 42 per cent tax devolution as per constitutional obligations. The Budget for 2018-19 presented on Thursday estimated Rs 29,041 crore from the Centre as against Rs 26,857 crore last year.

Finance minister Etela Rajender said the estimate was made based on Union Budget of which TS was entitled to 42 per cent tax devolution and did not expect anything more.

“This is because the state government had made several representations to the Centre seeking funds for Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya, Kaleshwaram project etc for the last four years but in vain and there were no hopes that the Centre would grant funds in the last year of its tenure,” the Telangana State finance minister said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself inaugurated Mission. Bhagiratha, praised it and asked all States to emulate it. "But when we sought Central funds for this, there was no response," he said.

This was when Niti Aayog, set up by the PM himself, recommended Rs 19,000 crore grant for Mission Bhagiratha and Rs 5,000 crore for Mission Bhagiratha two years ago, he added.

He also expressed displeasure over the Centre not sanctioning funds to residential schools set by TS government to provide quality education for BCs, SCs, STs and minorities. There was no State, but TS, which set up over 500 residential schools in a year, the Minister said.