The balance sheet of funds devolved by the Centre and the State’s contribution to the national pool have never tallied if the versions of the two sides are to be considered.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had in his recent visit to the State said the Centre had given the State ₹2.52 lakh crore and might well have released another ₹1 lakh core if the latter had cooperated. This was immediately countered by Minister for IT and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao who said all that the State got was only ₹1.68 lakh crore while generating ₹3.68 lakh crore as taxes for the Centre.
Another ₹2 lakh crore raised by the State government through “sweat and toil” was retained by the Centre. He said he was ready to resign if he was proved wrong, or else, Mr. Shah should tender an apology. l
On the other hand, Minister for Finance T. Harish Rao recently released breakup of funds denied by the Centre to the State which put the put the figure at ₹34,000 crore.
Doctors at the receiving end
The efforts of Minister for Health T. Harish Rao to streamline the functioning of government hospitals was commendable but, in the process, he has earned the displeasure of doctors.
In a surprise visit to the government maternity hospital at Sultan Baazar, he ordered the transfer of a paediatrician to Adilabad, one more year of internship to a MBBS student, recall of a staff nurse to the Directorate of Medical Education and termination of the service of a post-graduate student. He ordered these measures after glaring lapses in their services.
Mr. Harish Rao was put off that the doctors at the hospital prescribed purchase of medicines from a retail store outside the premises. But, the doctors and staff of the hospital argued that there was little anyone could have been done if the prescribed medicines are not supplied by government.
COVID-19 is still around
The Coronavirus pandemic continues to ring alarm bells in the State. Minister for Finance and Health T. Harish Rao indicated that the days of wearing masks and following COVID-appropriate behaviour are far from over.
The Minister at a review meeting the other day expressed concern over rising cases in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The situation in the State is under control, he averred.
But the number of new cases logged every day however shows that the virus is yet to be controlled fully. From zero incidence, the case numbers reached double digit since past few days. The silver lining is that the State sounded caution early rather than harping on the fact that only fewer numbers of cases were being reported.
N. Rahul & M. Rajeev
