Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has hit the headlines with his comment on the state’s finances, declaring that even if he were to be ‘cut in half’, the revenues would not exceed Rs 18,500 crore a month. The comment understandably drew flak, but its context needs to be considered. It came at a time when some government employee unions have planned agitations and the state transport corporation unions have called for an indefinite strike. The former group’s complaint is about the new pay revision commission, while the latter has been demanding the corporation’s merger with the government. Both parties have backed down for now, with the government promising to look into their issues.
The chief minister simply laid bare the state’s financial situation for all to see. This was not the first time he spoke on the subject, but it was the manner in which he spoke recently that caused a stir. He was severe in his view of the threats the government faces, wondering aloud whether employees do not have the responsibility to fulfil promises made to the people, as they too were a part of the state apparatus and drew their salaries from the people, albeit indirectly. There is no denying that the state is in financial doldrums. In the budget, the government allocated a whopping Rs 1 lakh crore for welfare schemes; there are other schemes to be implemented, too. The projected debt, excluding corporation guarantees, is likely to be 28.1 per cent of the gross state domestic product this year and the revenues are not nearly enough. Every month, there is a shortfall of about Rs 4,000 crore, even as the total debt closes in on Rs 6 lakh crore.
On the face of it, the CM’s remarks are straight to the point. One could find fault for expressing his helplessness in the way he did, being the leader of the state. He could have chosen to sound pragmatic to infuse a level of confidence. But he cannot be faulted for giving a piece of his mind to the employees for seeking to arm-twist the government at this inopportune moment. Solutions, rather than an airing of frustrations, would work better.