Finance Minister T. Harish Rao on Wednesday clarified that the monthly Aasara pension scheme, with a reduced eligibility age of 57 effective from the next financial year, was already made sufficient allocations.
With regard to estimates to sectors of education, agriculture and job notifications too, proportionate and utmost priority was given, he said, explaining direct, indirect and other factor allocations that contribute for the sector’s overall allocation during the year.
The revised age for Aasara pension was considered last year but was not implemented due to COVID-19 situation. The scheme was allotted the same ₹11, 728 crore even last year, and it left a surplus, he said.
“We are not spending less for education or agriculture, as some leaders and social media platforms are publicising. If education got ₹16, 043 crore, it is also getting funds from BC, SC and other connected welfare sectors such as for BC residential school and the like,” he said, and added that the TRS government had spent about 1.10 lakh crore (13.25%) for education sector in the past 7.5 years. Similarly, direct allocation to agriculture and indirect to its allied Animal Husbandry Department, Mr. Rao explained replying to the general discussion on annual budget in the State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.
Another theme that emerged was the government’s recruitment announcement for 80, 039 jobs versus Opposition leaders’ demand of “not just 90, 000 but fill all vacancies as per Biswal Committee.”
The Minister rebutted it and said the government is not only filling vacancies but has created new posts for filing, such as for newly created mandals, district offices and adjustment of surplus village revenue officers after Dharani portal.
While Mr. Rao considered AIMIM’s Chandrayangutta legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi’s criticism of the budget as constructive, he refuted the Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka’s sector-wise criticism as lacking awareness and unfounded.
He said statistics by central organisations, on State’s per capita income, gross state domestic product, per capita electricity consumption and other indices, were a testament of the development in Telangana.
“Back then, legislators used to carry empty pots, spoiled corn and lanterns to the Budget Session to protest failure of electricity and irrigation. The fact that Opposition leaders are unable to say good things about this government is itself proof of achievement,” he said.
And while youths across the State and in universities were celebrating the announcement over jobs, only Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party are upset and creating apprehensions, he remarked.
Targetting Mr. Vikramarka, he even listed out the welfare successes in Madhira Assembly constituency and said a list of scheme-wise total beneficiaries will be printed and circulated among all leaders for understanding.
For Mr. Rao, the BJP government in the centre flouted the 15th Finance Commission’s recommendations with respect to benefits to States. He said BJP while increased its collections through cesses and surcharges which are part of the non-divisible pool, it also shrunk shares to States. And BJP was also a reason for Telangana’s rise in deficit, he said.
