T’gana min attacks Centre over ‘rising debt burden’, ‘anti-people policies’

Hyderabad, Feb 8: Telangana Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Wednesday attacked the NDA government at the Centre over rising debt burden and its alleged anti-people policies even as he highlighted the various welfare schemes being implemented by the BRS government.
During the debate on the 2023-24 state budget in the assembly, Rao said the opposition members spoke about the state government’s debts but the debt to GSDP ratio, a major indicator on debt situation, is going to decline from 24.3 per cent to 23.8 per cent.
The state’s GSDP increased from Rs 4.50 lakh crore in 2014 to about Rs 13.50 lakh crore now, he pointed out.
However, the Centre’s debt to GDP ratio increased from 55.9 per cent to 56.2 per cent, he claimed.
“Debts are declining in our state, increasing under the Centre’s rule.” He alleged that the central government imposed a debt burden of Rs one lakh crore per month on the people of the country.
The Minister accused the union government of ‘betraying’ people by not providing two crore jobs per year, housing for all eligible beneficiaries, doubling farmers income, strong Lok Pal bill, inter-linking of rivers and others.
He charged that the NDA government “succeeded” in derailing GDP growth, destroying food security, rising the price of LPG, destabilising democratically elected governments, misusing investigating agencies and others.
Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka alleged that the state government increased the state’s debt burden to the tune of Rs five lakh crore (government’s debt and guarantees put together.) BJP MLA Eatala Rajender dismissed the charge that the Centre’s actions halted the state’s progress and curtailed its freedom to take loans.
Another BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao said the budget made no mention of the promise of ruling BRS to provide financial assistance to unemployed youth.
AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi alleged that the Centre itself made huge borrowings but talked about Telangana government’s borrowings. (PTI)