Hyderabad: BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, countering her recent remarks on Telangana’s financial situation. He asserted that Telangana remains a surplus-budget state even after a decade of BRS governance.
Challenges Debt Allegations
In his letter, KTR stated that the loans taken during the BRS administration were aimed at addressing long-standing public hardships and building lasting assets. He criticized the central government for questioning Telangana’s debt while accumulating Rs 125 lakh crore in borrowings over the past decade.
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“Despite making record borrowings, the Modi government must clarify how these funds were utilized. In contrast, Telangana’s loans were directed toward development,” he wrote.
KTR also accused the BJP-led Centre of waiving corporate loans worth lakhs of crores while simultaneously depriving Telangana of its rightful share in central allocations. He asserted that the people would not forgive the BJP for this perceived injustice.
Response to Sitharaman’s Statement
KTR’s letter comes in response to Nirmala Sitharaman’s recent statement in the Rajya Sabha, where she claimed that Telangana, which had a surplus budget before bifurcation, is now struggling with debt. She further stated that despite central assistance, the state has not been able to stabilize its financial situation.
Dismissing these claims, KTR challenged the Union Finance Minister to provide transparency on the Centre’s debt utilization while reiterating that Telangana has remained financially robust despite alleged discrimination in budgetary allocations.
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