The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has termed Budget 2020-21 introduced in the Assembly by Minister for Finance T. Harish Rao on Sunday as the best possible effort in the wake of severe economic slowdown being faced by the country.
Reacting to the budget, Government Whip Balka Suman said it would help all sections of Telangana live with self esteem, and would come in hand as the backbone of the State’s progress. He thanked Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, and Finance Minister T. Harish Rao for presenting a practical budget taking care of all needy sections, including the farming community for whom the Rythu Bandhu allocation has been increased by another ₹ 2,000 crore, taking it to ₹ 14,000 crore.
Palamuru-Rangareddy LI Project gets a push
Another Government Whip Guvvala Balarjau termed the budget as progressive which would help speed up the ongoing Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project. He also complimented the government and welcomed the decision of handing over farm loan waiver cheques directly to the farmers through the hands of legislators concerned.
Further, Mr. Balaraju said the budget was a slap on the face of the opposition parties which have been spreading misinformation that economic slowdown would force the government to prune welfare schemes. He also welcomed the decision to give financial assistance (grant) to those poor who want to build houses on their own provided they have house sites.
Keeping pre-poll promises
Terming the budget as farmer and irrigation-oriented, legislators Sunke Ravi Shanker and Nomula Narasimhaiah said: “The healthy increase in the per capita income in Telangana was a reflection of the State’s economic progress even in the adverse conditions of economic slowdown.” Another legislator A. Jeevan Reddy said the budget was in the direction of fulfilling the pre-poll promises, including giving Aasara old-aged pensions by reducing the eligibility age to 57 years.
Government Whip in the Legislative Council Karne Prabhakar said making ample allocations to rural development, housing, irrigation, farming and other core sectors was an indication of the State leadership’s commitment to keep it on the track of growth without getting any help and cooperation from the Centre.
A delight for farmers
Meanwhile, Minister for Agriculture S. Niranjan Reddy said the budget was a reflection of the Chief Minister’s commitment to continue with the welfare and development of the farming community with an additional allocation ₹ 2,000 crore to Rythu Bandhu to cover farmers who were added to the beneficiaries list after getting record of rights afresh.
Further, the allocation of ₹ 1,141 crore for Rythu Bima, ₹ 6,225 crore for farm loan waiver during 2020-21, ₹ 350 crore for development of farmers’ platforms (Rythu Vedika), ₹ 142 crore for seed subsidy, ₹ 100 crore for dairy development, ₹ 600 crore for micro irrigation,₹ 5,000 crore for free power supply to agriculture, and ₹ 11,054 crore for irrigation were aimed at making agriculture and allied sectors profitable.
