HYDERABAD: By focusing on farmers, women, SCs, STs, BCs and proposing to connect the urban and rural areas of the state with Metro in its first Budget after the formation of Telangana, the Congress government has tried to take the first step toward establishing a lasting legacy in the state, especially the capital, Hyderabad.
The Budget also indicates the government’s attention to the state’s dominant communities, while prioritising agriculture by allocating Rs 49,383 crore to the sector.
The focus initiatives like loan waiver and Rythu Bharosa are an attempt to position the Congress as the party most capable of addressing the needs of the state’s farmers. It is also clear that the Congress government has upcoming local body elections in its sight.
As expected, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Backward Community welfare has been prioritised since the party traditionally draws support from these groups. The Budget proposes Rs 33,129 crore for SC welfare, reinforcing the SC Sub-Plan initially implemented by the Congress in undivided Andhra Pradesh. This move contrasts with the previous BRS government’s Dalit Bandhu programme which clearly did not fetch the pink party the political dividends it expected.
The Budget also allocates Rs 17,056 crore for Scheduled Tribes under the Special Development Fund, amounting to nearly 9.85% of planned and non-planned expenditure. Additionally, Rs 8,446 crore has been proposed for the welfare of BCs who form a major chunk of the party’s voter base.
The Budget proposes Rs 3,183 crore for minority welfare. This is the highest-ever allocation proposed, even when compared to other Congress-ruled states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh and also higher than the Union government’s allocation of Rs 3,003 crore. A majority of the minorities voted in favour of the Congress in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections and this historic allocation will undoubtedly boost the party’s prospects in coming elections.
As expected, the government has made it clear that it is committed to implementing the six guarantees of the Congress by allocating enough funds for schemes like free travel for women on RTC buses, subsidy on LPG cylinders and the Gruha Jyothi power bill subsidy.
The Budget also proposes interest-free loans to one crore women to empower self-help groups.
A substantial Rs 10,000 crore has been earmarked for Hyderabad, signalling Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s intent to make a significant mark on the city’s development.
This, the party hopes will help it outshine the development initiatives taken up by the previous BRS regime like SRDP works, SNDP and other development projects.