Telangana Rasthra Samithi (TRS) has come down heavily against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for what it termed “false claims” on the Central devolution of funds to the State, although the Centre still owes ₹7,184 crore to the State as its rightful share.
Against the contribution of ₹3,65,797 crore in the form of various taxes and duties by Telangana from 2014-15 to 2020-21, the Central devolution to the State in the form of share in Central taxes, amount released for centrally sponsored schemes (CSS), Finance Commission (FC) grants, BRGF grant and GST compensation was only ₹1,68,647 crore, Minister for Finance and Health T. Harish Rao said here on Saturday.
Speaking along with party legislators Ch. Dharma Reddy, A. Jeevan Reddy and Ch. Kranti Kiran, Mr. Harish Rao explained that Centre still owed Telangana ₹1,130 crore as 13 th FC grants, ₹818 crore as 14 th FC grants, ₹1,104 crore 15 th FC grants, ₹1,350 crore backward regions grant fund (BRGF) for 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2022-23, ₹2,247 crore GST compensation and ₹454 crore CSS dues meant for Telangana and wrongfully transferred to Andhra Pradesh in 2014-15 as its rightful share.
The Minister responded to claims made by State president of BJP Bandi Sanjay during his ongoing ‘padayatra’ that Centre had given huge funds to Telangana and that entire funds for development of villages were also being borne by the Centre. “If all funds to gram panchayats are being given by the Centre as being claimed by Mr. Sanjay, why the villages in other States including in neighbouring Karnataka ruled by BJP are in bad shape compared to those in Telangana”, he sought to know.
Mr. Harish Rao challenged both Mr. Sanjay and D.K. Aruna, in-charge of party affairs in Karantaka, that he was ready to visit any village in neighbouring Raichur district along with them to find whether they have tractors, trolleys, tankers, dump yards, vaikunta dhamams and other community facilities as visible in Telangana. He stated that ₹2,888 crore was allocated for development of villages under Palle Pragathi and ₹4,723 crore for towns/cities under Pattana Pragathi.
“Is it not a fact that a delegation from Raichur made a representation to Mr. Sanjay and Mr. Aruna during the ongoing padayatra to suggest Karnataka BJP president and Chief Minister implementation of schemes such as Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima and others there”, Mr. Harish Rao said adding that Telangana had spent ₹48,273 crore from 2014-15 to 2020-21 for Aasara pensions and the Central share was mere ₹1,645 crore (3.4%).
