Nothing new in the budget: KCR

“There is nothing new in the budget. It is a reiteration of what the government has been saying for the last seven months. The estimates prove beyond any doubt that they are a betrayal of all sections, especially farmers,” said leader of the opposition and former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, reacting to the budget presented in the Assembly on Thursday.

Speaking at the Assembly media point, he said the Budget had dampened the hopes of the people of Telangana as the allocations to various sectors were like “stabbing them in the back”, even though certain sections like farmers were praised. The government had already made its intentions clear to curb support for Rythu Bharosa by imposing several restrictions and the allocation to the agriculture sector proved it.

The BRS government has introduced several schemes for different sections to ensure their welfare and economic development. However, the present government has apparently stopped the sheep distribution scheme as the amount (demand drafts) given to them has already been withdrawn.

There is no new scheme for any section and the talk of loans to the tune of ₹1 lakh crore to women self-help groups was nothing new. “Our government had a clear vision for the agriculture sector but in an attempt to portray that we wasted money by providing Rythu Bandhu support to all farmers for two crop seasons every year, the government has made its intentions clear,” the leader of the opposition said.

Terming the Dalit Bandh programme introduced by the previous government as revolutionary, Mr. Rao said that by disbanding the programme, the government had clearly expressed its concern for the Dalits. There is no mention of it in the budget, which indicates their feudal approach. “It is unfortunate and a proof of their neglect of the Dalits,” he added.

No new policy

He also said that no new policies have been created for various sectors in the last seven months. There were no targets or objectives in the budget and the budget speech was more like a political speech, he said, adding that these would be carefully scrutinised while discussing the demands for subsidies.