CM KCR may skip his reply to Budget proposals

Hyderabad: After skipping the Governor's address on the first day of the budget session, the Telangana State Assembly will miss Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's reply also on the Budget proposals for 2022-2023 financial year on the last day of the session. Without the CM, the House is also set to adopt the Telangana Appropriation Bill on Tuesday. Perhaps for the first time the state Assembly is witnessing the CM's absence during the budget debate. The budget session had started without customary Governor's address to the joint sitting of the Assembly and Legislative Council on the first day of the session which had already received strong criticism from the Opposition.

During the 7-day budget session, KCR was present in the House for two days. He was seen on the first day of the Budget session on March 7 and 9. He announced in the Assembly the government's decision to fill 90,000 vacant posts in all categories in the government departments. After he fell sick on March 11, he was advised by doctors to take rest for at least a week. Since then, the Chief Minister stopped coming to the Assembly. Sources said that the possibility of KCR attending the Assembly on the last day of the session is remote as he was still under medical observation. "The CM already instructed state Assembly Secretary V Narasimha Charyulu to make necessary arrangements to ensure that the Appropriation Bill is passed without any legal complications."

Generally, the Chief Minister makes his final reply on the budget debate after the state Finance Minister clarifies all doubts raised on the budget proposals and the Revised Estimations (RE) for the current financial year in the House. The CM also takes the opportunity to explain the state growth on welfare and development front before winding up the budget session.

"The CM's reply on budget in the House is not mandatory but customary for decades in the united Andhra Pradesh and also in Telangana State Assembly. Without the CM, the House will adopt the Appropriation Bill which is important to seek the House's approval for the release of funds in the new financial year which begins from April 1," said a source.

Officials said that Finance Minister T Harish Rao and Assembly Affairs Minister V Prashanth Reddy have been given the responsibility for the smooth conduct of the House on the last day of the session.