Sans Ministers, Secretaries get cracking on budget proposals

Hyderabad: With no Ministers in the State cabinet, Secretaries of all departments have taken the responsibility of preparation of the budget proposals for the vote on account to be presented in the ensuing budget session of the State Assembly in February last.

The Secretaries were holding series of meetings with heads of the departments and top officials concerned to estimate the requirement of funds under scheme expenditure. Earlier, ministers conducted meetings and forwarded the proposals to the State Finance department for its approval.

Sources said that Irrigation, Agriculture, Education, Medical and Health and Welfare departments conducted first round of meetings and ascertained the utilisation of the funds earmarked in the current financial year. The other departments - Home, Roads and Buildings, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Civil Supplies etc will hold meetings this week.

Officials said that the allocations for agriculture and irrigation and welfare departments will be increased substantially as the TRS made the promise of Rs 10,000 per acre under Rythu Bandhu and also doubled the pension amount. It is learnt that the allocations to other sectors will go down.

Official said that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar will call a meeting with all Secretaries in two or three days to finalise the allocations in consultation with the Finance department.