Uttam accuses BJP Government of neglecting Telangana in Union Budget

HYDERABAD: Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy accused Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of completely neglecting Telangana in the Union Budget 2024-25 presented in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Uttam Kumar Reddy stated that the budget was politically motivated and aimed at pleasing BJP's allies, JD (U) and TDP, rather than serving the people. He highlighted that while Bihar received financial aid of over Rs 41,000 crore and Andhra Pradesh got Rs 15,000 crore along with other sops, including funds for the Polavaram project, Congress-ruled states, particularly Telangana, were ignored.

"This is the 11th budget since the formation of Telangana in 2014, yet the state continues to be neglected by the Centre. For the first time, a separate chapter titled 'Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act' was included in the budget, but the Finance Minister did not mention Telangana even once in her entire 58-page, 14,692-word speech," he said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy criticised Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for omitting any reference to Telangana when discussing the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act in her budget speech. "We are not against the Centre providing special funds to Andhra Pradesh, but we strongly condemn the discrimination against Telangana. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and a delegation of Telangana ministers submitted various applications to all ministries over the last seven months seeking funds for multiple projects, but our pleas were completely ignored. The BJP Government promised funds for the Polavaram project but did not assure funds for the Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme in the budget speech today," he added.

"We are still hopeful that the BJP Government at the Centre will provide funds for the Palamuru Ranga Reddy Project as assured by the then Union Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat," he said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy ridiculed the Finance Minister's claim that the BJP Government was making 'concerted efforts to fulfill the commitments in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act'. "People of Telangana have been waiting for the last ten years for the BJP Government to honor the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act. The Railway Coach Factory in Kazipet, a steel factory at Bayyaram, funds for Tribal University, and funds for high-speed road and rail connectivity, among other promises, remain unfulfilled. If Bihar and Andhra Pradesh deserve special funds, why is Telangana being deprived of similar treatment?" he questioned.

He also noted that the Finance Minister selectively sanctioned grants for the backward regions of Rayalaseema, Prakasam, and North Coastal Andhra while skipping the backward regions of Telangana. “While we welcome the Finance Minister’s announcement that commitments made in the AP Reorganisation Act will be fulfilled, we expect that commitments made to both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will be honored,” he said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy pointed out that eight BJP MPs from Telangana, including two Union Ministers, G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay, failed to secure a fair share for Telangana in the Union Budget.

He said that the Union Budget was highly disappointing for Telangana as it deprived the state of its share in resources and welfare schemes.