HYDERABAD: Describing the State Budget presented by Finance Minister T Harish Rao as nothing but “jugglery of figures”, Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Wednesday said that it does not reflect the aspirations of the people, especially the weaker sections.
Speaking during the discussion on the Budget in the Assembly, Vikramarka said that there was major juggling of figures in the Budget. “The government has shown an increase in revenues to the tune of Rs 40,000 crore. How could this be possible without increasing taxes? Grants from the Central government were not more than Rs 10,000 crore but the Budget puts the figure at Rs 40,000 crore. This is a difference of Rs 70,000 crore,” he said.
Vikramarka asked Harish Rao to explain how he can claim that per capita income has increased. “If it has increased, the government should release the figures. Perhaps the per capita income of only some rich people in the State has increased,” the CLP leader said.
He said that the State government has incurred debts to the tune of 4.86 lakh crore. “Who would pay these debts? The State government is burdening the people with debts. Not only that, the government is taking back lands given to the poor,” Vikramarka said.
Pointing to rising inflation, he said that this was due to the policies adopted by the Union and State governments. “Due to the law brought by the Modi government, traders are stocking up goods, causing inflation. This situation arose due to the removal of the Essential Commodities Act brought by the Congress government in the past,” Vikarmarka said.
He demanded to know the share of Krishna and Godavari waters allotted to Telangana. “If the water share is not calculated, it will be a loss for the State. The government must also reveal the DPRs related to the projects being constructed,” Vikramarka demanded.Pointing out that hospitals are not accepting Arogyasri cards, he said that patients are now forced to sell their homes or farmland for treatment.