Empty hand for TS in Budget-2019

Hyderabad: The Union Budget–2019 has dashed the hopes of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao who expected good financial assistance from the Modi government this year to complete the ongoing multi-crore irrigation and other infrastructure development projects in the state.

Hoping that the Centre would provide greater assistance, KCR presented the vote-on-account budget in the Assembly in the place of annual budget in March.

The CM had high hopes of funds from the Centre to meet the growing financial requirements mainly for the Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation (PRLI) schemes, Mission Kakatiya and Mission Bhagiratha.

KCR has been asking the Centre for nearly Rs 50,000 crore for all these important developmental programmes. He had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi a couple of times before the elections and pleaded with him for the release of required funds.

The TRS chief's political moves in the just-concluded elections widened the rift between the Centre and KCR after the BJP-led NDA retained power at the Centre.

Officials said KCR has planned to implement all poll promises and complete the projects with the support of the Union government.

"Now, the chances of getting assistance from the Centre is remote and the TS government will have to find new avenues for funds," official sources said.

They said even the outlay also did not give any indication of fulfilling the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, mainly the establishment of Bayyaram steel plant and the railway coach factory.

Meagre allocations were made for the proposed Tribal University and other Central education institutions, they added.

State Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said NITI Aayog recommended to the Union government to extend Rs 25,000 crore financial help to Telangana for the early completion of Mission Kakatiya and Mission Bhagiratha.

The issue of according national project status to Kaleshwaram was also put on back burner.