KCR has failed to get Central funds for Telangana: Shabbir Ali

Hyderabad : Leader of Opposition Mohammed Ali Shabbir has alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has failed to get adequate funds for Telangana State from the Central Government and called him 'Sher in Hyderabad, Billi in Delhi' (A tiger in Hyderabad, but a cat in Delhi).

Addressing a press conference along with Deputy CLP leader Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy on Friday, Shabbir Ali said while MPs from Andhra Pradesh have been vociferously fighting for special status for their State, the TRS MPs and TRS Government had failed to voice their protest in Parliament even as a pittance of Rs. 450 crore was granted in budget for Telangana against a demand for Rs. 42,000 crore from the state. TRS MPs have failed to raise issues of setting up of Bayyaram Steel Plant, national project status to Kaleswaram Project etc., which was promised to Telangana in the AP Reorganisation Act -2014.

Shabbir Ali said the TRS Govt has totally failed to pursue the Bill pertaining to 12% Muslim quota and 10% ST reservation even after months of its passage in state assembly. "Where is the bill lying now? Home Dept, Law Ministry or Parliament Affairs Ministry? Please tell us, as the Congress party wishes to raise it during the ensuing budget session for ratification. Else, the Congress party will take the issue to the public and expose the deception of the TRS Govt," he said.

The Congress leader also alleged that the TRS Government has utterly failed in providing MSP for Red Gram, Red Jowar and Turmeric in Ranga Reddy, Nizamabad and Khammam districts of Telangana. "The neighboring Karnataka Govt has given a bonus of Rs. 400 per quintal for these crops in addition to the MSP of Rs. 5600 and put up 40 purchasing centers in each constituency of Bidar, Raichur and Gulbarga districts," he said.

"Congress party demands similar  arrangements to be made  in Telangana too," he said adding that presently there were only three centers and payments take more than 10-15 days.