HYDERABAD: IT & Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu on Tuesday reaffirmed the Congress government’s commitment to fulfilling all the promises made to the people, including employees.
He said that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s statements over state finances which drew a sharp criticism from the opposition parties is only an expression of anguish, and appealed to the employee unions to cooperate with the government.
“The world economy is experiencing a slowdown. The previous BRS government drove the state in the direction of bankruptcy, and the Congress government is reversing it. Employee unions should cooperate with the government. The chief minister has spoken with a positive thought that employees’ demands would be addressed sooner than later,” he said.
During an informal interaction with reporters at the state Legislative Assembly, he said that the chief minister once again disclosed the state financial situation as some of the union leaders were speaking in a threatening tone.
He alleged that the previous government mortgaged the state’s assets to obtain loans, and there is a situation now where getting loans has become difficult. The chief minister was only trying to explain this situation during his recent address to employees, Sridhar Babu said and added that the government is doing its best to add another growth engine to Hyderabad by creating lakhs of jobs.
Responding to BRS working president K T Rama Rao’s remarks, Sridhar Babu pointed out that during the BRS regime, employees used to receive salaries in the third week of each month, whereas now, under the current government, they are paid on the first day.
He said that the Congress government was also recruiting new staff while the BRS merely feigned affection for the employees. Accusing the previous government of pushing the surplus state into a debt trap, Sridhar Babu described the BRS regime as a double edged sword for employees.
Asserting that the government is moving ahead braving the financial constraints and barriers put forth by the BRS, the IT minister said it is making all out efforts to increase the state revenue..
Declining to comment on the Kancha Gachibowli lands issue, he said that the matter is now sub-judice. He, however, responded to IAS officer Smita Sabarwal allegedly expressing her opinion through social media. He said that the civil servants have to abide by a set of rules and regulations. He made it clear that the government was not vindictive towards anyone.
‘Union leaders spoke in threatening tone’
Minister Sridhar Babu said that the CM again disclosed the state’s financial situation as some of the union leaders were speaking in a threatening tone. He alleged that the previous government mortgaged the state’s assets to obtain loans, and there is a situation now where getting loans has become difficult. Accusing the previous government of pushing the state into a debt trap, he described the BRS regime as a double edged sword for employees.