Telangana CM dismisses oppn criticism that debts have mounted

Dismissing criticism of opposition BJP and others that the state government's debts have mounted heavily, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today said the loans have been obtained for development purposes.

The state government obtained loans within it's permitted limits, he said, speaking during the debate on the 2018-19 budget.

Referring to the BJP criticism, he demanded to know whether any BJP-ruled state had refrained from taking loans.

"Can it happen? Market borrowings is a part of the budget," he said.

The BJP government at the Centre also took loans, which form a subtantial part of the country's GDP, he alleged.

Observing that even developed nations like the United States and Japan took loans, he sought to know whether the two countries lacked wisdom.

Rao said that the capital expenditure in the four years since the formation of Telangana was comparable to that during the preceding 10 years in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The share of debt when the state was formed (in 2014) was Rs 72,000 crore and the debt to be paid as on date was Rs 1,42,000 crore, which was inclusive of both the old and new debts, he had said on March 14.

State BJP president and MLA K Laxman alleged earlier that the debt per head has increased heavily in the state.

Rao also asked whether any BJP-ruled state implemented welfare schemes, including social security pensions and social welfare residential schools, like the Telangana government has done.

The criticism against government should be constructive, he said.

"Today, our growth is rated at 22 per cent, which is number one in India," Rao said.

He cited farm loan waiver and high salaries for government employees as some of the other welfare measures implemented by the state government.

State Finance Minister E Rajender also gave a detailed reply to the debate, highlighting the numerous development and welfare programmes being implemented by the state government.

The opposition BJP, TDP and CPI(M) staged a walkout over different issues.

BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy alleged that the state government adopted a negligent and discriminary attitude towards Hyderabad, which reportedly contributed 70 per cent of the revenue to the state, and also on the demands of government employees, vis-a-vis pensions.

TDP's S Venkata Veeraiah and CPI(M) member S Rajaiah protested on issues concerning granite industry, welfare of journalists and 'podu' farmers (shifting form of agriculture).