Kishan Reddy Urges Revanth Reddy to Release White Paper on Telangana’s Financial Condition
Kishan Reddy recalled that during the 2023 Assembly elections, the Congress made half a dozen major guarantees and 420 promises to the people of Telangana, and on that basis, the people entrusted the party with power
Hyderabad: Union minister G. Kishan Reddy has called on Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to release a White Paper on the health of Telangana’s economy. He argued that the state government’s heavy dependence on interest-free loans from the Centre, even for flagship programmes and policies, reflected the poor condition of the state’s finances.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, Kishan Reddy noted that the state was unable to pay interest on earlier loans and was resorting to fresh borrowings. He said the situation has deteriorated to the point where loans are being taken to pay salaries, fund the Rythu Barosa scheme, and support other welfare initiatives.
Kishan Reddy claimed the Modi government has provided ₹12 lakh crore to Telangana over the past 12 years for Central schemes and capital investments. This includes ₹2.5 lakh crore as the state’s share in central taxes, ₹1.85 lakh crore for road development, ₹36,000 crore for railway works, and ₹50,000 crore for ongoing railway projects. Other allocations cited include ₹40,000 crore for employment guarantee schemes, ₹50,000 crore for free ration under PDS, ₹40,000 crore for local bodies, ₹12,000 crore for power projects, ₹14,000 crore under PM Kishan Yojana, ₹80,000 crore for fertiliser subsidy, ₹21,000 crore for education and sports, and ₹9,000 crore for health welfare.
Under the SASCI scheme, Telangana has received over ₹10,000 crore in the past six years for infrastructure projects such as drainage systems, road widening, railway expansion, bridges, hospitals, educational institutions, tourism infrastructure, radial roads between ORR and RRR, river development works, Smart Cities Mission projects, and PMGSY works. Kishan Reddy also highlighted allocations including ₹200 crore for MMTS Phase-II, ₹114 crore for the Manoharabad–Kothapalli railway line, ₹315 crore for Smart Cities, ₹674 crore for PMGSY, ₹200 crore for radial roads, ₹110 crore for the Siddipet bypass, ₹388 crore for Young India Residential Schools, and ₹300 crore for hostel construction.
Despite Telangana being formed in 2014 with surplus funds, Kishan Reddy said there has been no visible financial progress during 10 years of BRS rule and 27 months of Congress governance. He warned that the continuous rise in per capita debt and reliance on borrowings to meet routine commitments is deeply concerning.
