Budget 2018-19 full of false claims: Ponnala

Hanamkonda: The rate at which budget was being allocated to double bedroom housing scheme, it would take more than a century to construct houses to all identified beneficiaries, claimed TPCC former chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah.

As per the State government assessment, there are nearly 22 lakh persons eligible for double bedroom houses. At least Rs 1.54 lakh crore would be needed to construct houses to them. In the budget tabled in the Assembly, the government allocated Rs 2,643 crore, he said.

Lakshmaiah speaking to presspersons here on Thursday said during the past four years only 9,522 double bedroom houses were built though 2,72,863 houses were sanctioned. Similarly, under land purchase scheme only 4930 poor dalits were given three acres land while there were 10 lakh beneficiaries.  

An amount of Rs 1,400 crore allocated to land purchase scheme whereas it requires Rs 1.50 lakh crore. At that scale of allocation of funds to 2BHK and land purchase schemes, a minimum of 110 years would be required to cover all the identified beneficiaries, he explained.

The Congress leader stated that the budget failed to boost faith and earn confidence of the public with meagre allocations to different heads. The rate of increase in the budget achieved by the TRS government was only 16 per cent since it came to power despite Telangana being financially surplus State.  

The annual budget of 2004-05 tabled by Congress in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh was Rs 40, 000 crore. By 2013-14 it increased by four times with the then Congress regime tabling budget estimates worth Rs 1.61 lakh crore.

Nevertheless, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and his cabinet colleagues were making tall claims on State witnessing tremendous progress. The government’s claims on GDP and per capita income growth and increase of crop yield were all false, Lakshmaiah asserted.

He wanted the State government to come out with a White Paper on its fiscal status. The TRS government, which first favoured GST regime introduced by the Centre and supported demonetisation move, was now claiming that Telangana has suffered a lot financially because of such actions. It shows the double standards of the ruling party leaders, he added.

The Congress leader faulted the government’s claims on ensuring irrigation to 36.5 lakh acres land with Kaleshwaram project that provides 180 TMC water. Of the 180 TMC, 30 TMC goes to drinking water needs of Hyderabad and other areas, while 10 TMC for rural drinking water supply.

With the remaining 140 TMC water, it would be impossible to irrigate 36.5 lakh acres as 10, 000 acres needs one TMC of water, he said.  City Congress working president Rajanala Srihari, TPCC secretary EV Srinivas Rao and others were present.