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Hyderabad: Terming the Congress government’s rule in Telangana as “most disastrous” and the state budget 2025-26 as “most disappointing”, Siddipet BRS MLA and ex-finance minister T Harish Rao said that for the first time in the past few years the state has witnessed a negative Goods and Services Tax (GST) growth rate of 5.5%, falling behind India’s growth rate of 10% in the last 11 months.
Citing the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), Harish Rao, while speaking in the Assembly, said that the Telangana government’s estimation of Rs 46,500 crore GST revenues in 2023-24 budget, and Rs 58,594 crore in this year’s budget was an over-estimation. He compared it with Karnataka’s GST growth rate of 10.72% and Maharashtra’s 12%.
Harish Rao said that the Telangana government also lagged behind in achieving revenues through stamps and registrations by over-estimating the 2024-25 budget estimate of Rs 18,244 crore. Noting that only Rs 12,867 crore revenues have been reached in the past 11 months, he felt that at the most it could reach Rs 14,000 crore and not more.
“While Tamil Nadu achieved 90% of its estimate, 93% in Maharashtra, and 85% in Karnataka, Telangana has achieved only 77% of its targeted revenues through stamps and registrations,” said Harish Rao. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader also stated that taking vehicles sales as another yardstick to measure growth rate, Telangana has seen -0.08% negative growth rate in vehicle sales from April to November. AP stood at 12%, Tamil Nadu achieved 32%, Karnataka 8%, and Kerala 10%, he added.
“Lack of knowledge, and bankruptcy in your thoughts has caused this situation,” said the ex-finance minister, while attacking the Telangana CM. Harish Rao also said that the chief minister’s claim of economic downturn across the country affecting Telangana was a false claim to cover-up the state government’s inefficiency.
“Because of the chief minister’s repeated statements of Telangana going bankrupt investments have come down. Cancellation of Pharma City and airport metro rail project have created a negative impact. HYDRA demolitions have rendered the real estate to collapse,” he noted. Harish Rao also claimed that the estimates for non-tax revenues and grants-in-aid expected from the Centre as shown in the budget were unrealistic.
Telangana govt mortgaging and selling lands to get Rs 50,000 Crore: Harish
Harish Rao also accused the Congress government of mortgaging Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation’s (TGIIC) lands to companies for Rs 10,000 crore, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority’s (HMDA) lands for Rs 20,000 crore, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board’s (HMWS&SB) properties for Rs 20,000 crore, and Housing Board’s lands to private parties. He claimed that the process for all of it has begun.
On crop loan waiver and crops drying
Harish Rao alleged that because of delay in the payment of bills for Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme works, crops have dried in Warangal district.
Disputing the state government’s claims over implementing the crop loan waiver for loans amounting to Rs 2 lakh, Harish Rao claimed that out of 43,363 farmers who took crop loans, loan waiver was done to cover only 20,514 farmers. Of the remaining farmers, he said 10,212 were those who took loans less than Rs 2 lakh.
He also gave examples of farmers from his constituency who had loans higher than Rs 2 lakh, and had already repaid the amount in excess of Rs 2 lakh, but their loans haven’t been waived off yet.
Not single rupee of fees reimbursement paid: Harish Rao
Claiming that the state government has not reimbursed a single rupee in fees for students belonging to SC, ST and BC sections, Harish Rao stated that 1,913 government schools have shut-down in the past 11 months.
“1.2 lakh students had appeared for entrance to Gurukuls in BRS government. This year only 74,000 students appeared. This shows that parents are worried about the safety of their children, as 83 children studying in Gurukuls have died by suicide under Congress government,” he stated.
Best Gram Panchayat awards
Pointing out that 19 Gram Panchayats in Telangana received awards from the Centre in 2022, and 13 Gram Panchayats received the prestigious awards in 2023, Harish Rao said that only one Gram Panchayat received the award under the Congress government, which he said showed the “plight and performance” of Panchayat Raj institutions in Telangana.
Social welfare funds being under-utilised
Harish Rao claimed that funds amounting to only Rs 9,800 crore was spent under SC sub-plan, and out of Rs 15,000 crore allocated for STs under state development fund only Rs 6,000 crore has been released, and out of Rs 3,003 crore allocated for minorities, not even Rs 1,000 crore has been spent this year.
Harish Rao also claimed that the total debt accrued during the BRS government, which has to be paid from the state’s treasury, was only Rs 4,22,000 crore.
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