Congress government attempting to erase 10 years of BRS's good work: Harish Rao

HYDERABAD: Former minister and BRS MLA T Harish Rao criticised the Telangana budget, calling it a political speech devoid of substance.

Speaking during the budget discussion in the Assembly, Harish Rao questioned the ruling party's claims of good governance, challenging them to provide evidence for their statements. He highlighted the BRS government's achievement of raising the state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) from Rs 4.5 lakh crore to Rs 14 lakh crore.

Harish Rao accused the Congress government of attempting to erase the past ten years of BRS governance by deleting data, stating that while they may be able to remove it from computers, they cannot erase it from people's memories. He contrasted the BRS's performance with the Congress's eight-month tenure, suggesting the public could see through the latter's "drama."

The BRS leader criticised the budget's unrealistic revenue projections, particularly the estimated tax revenue and non-tax revenue of Rs 35,000 crore. He demanded an explanation for these figures. Harish Rao further criticised the government's plan to raise funds by selling land worth Rs 10,000 crore, reminding them of their past criticism of similar actions taken by previous administrations. He urged the government to reconsider the land sale proposal.

Harish Rao also pointed out discrepancies in the budget, such as inflated income projections and understated mandatory expenditures. He criticised the government for delaying loan waivers and burdening farmers with interest payments. He reminded the ruling party of their unfulfilled promise to increase pensions to Rs 4,000, stating that it remains an empty promise.