Budget for appeasing NDA govt partners, says Uttam
Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy
Hyderabad: State Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy has strongly condemned Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for completely neglecting Telangana in the Union Budget 2024–25 presented by her in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
He said that the budget was politically motivated and drafted not for the people but to please the BJP's allies, the JD (U) and TDP. While Bihar was given financial aid of Rs 41,000 crore, Andhra Pradesh got Rs 15,000 crore and other sops, including funds for the completion of the Polavaram project. Congress-ruled States, especially Telangana, were totally neglected, he said.
"While we are not against the Centre giving special funds to Andhra Pradesh, we strongly condemn its discrimination towards Telangana. Led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, a delegation of Telangana ministers submitted various applications to all ministries in the last seven months seeking funds for various projects. But our pleas were completely ignored. He said that while the BJP government promised to fund the Polavaram project, there was no assurance in her budget speech today regarding funding for the Palamuru Ranga Lift Irrigation Scheme.
He ridiculed the Finance Minister's claim that the BJP government was making 'concerted efforts to fulfil the commitments in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act'. "People of Telangana have been waiting for the last ten years for the BJP government to honour the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act.
The railway coach factory in Kazipet, a steel factory at Bayyaram, funds for Tribal University, funds for high-speed road and rail connectivity, and other promises made in the Act remained unfulfilled. "If Bihar and Andhra Pradesh deserve special funds, then why is Telangana being deprived of such treatment?" he asked.