Grant huge budgetary allocations to Telangana: Etela Rajender

Finance Minister Etela Rajender made strong appeal to the Union Finance Minister on making huge budgetary allocations to progressive States such as Telangana.

He was speaking after participating in preliminary budgetary exercise meeting with Union Finance Minister in New Delhi. He said the Centre should allocate more funds for the programmes such as Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya and irrigation projects.

“The State government is undertaking Mission Bhagiratha works with an intention to supply potable water to every household in the State at an estimated cost of Rs 40,000 crore and requested the Centre to provide financial support,” Rajender said.He also brought to the notice of Union Finance Minister over Niti Aayog’s recommendation to make budgetary allocations to Mission Bhagiratha and Kakatiya.

Rajender also wanted the Centre to allocate Rs 10,000 crore for ongoing Kaleshwaram irrigation project besides funds for Horticulture University, Tribal University,



Bayyaram Steel plant and AIIMS.

“Also requested the Centre to make required allocations for agriculture sector as the State government is giving huge subsidies for the development of peasant community,” the Finance Minister said.He said if Niti Aayog Vice Chiarman Rajiv Kumar’s comment – “Andhra People who are residing in Hyderabad would pay tax in Amaravathi,” is true, it was totally a unfair statment, he said.

Finance Minister Etela Rajender requested Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to declare 30 districts of 31 as backward districts and allocate funds accordingly. He said except State capital all other districts would need special focus towards development.

The GST council on Thursday reduced the tax slab on drip irrigation equipment’s from 18 per cent to 12 per cent, Etela Rajender said. He thanked the Council for reducing the tax on agriculture related equipment’s and wanted the Centre to take stringent action on tax evaders.