NAVEENA GHANATE
Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka said that revenue growth in this financial year is not as expected. He asked officials to prepare budget proposals according to actual requirements.
The Congress government wants to present a ‘realistic budget’ without overestimations and
inflated values. Highly placed sources said that the growth rate was “camouflaged.”
When the estimates were prepared, land values were inflated especially in Hyderabad and its surrounding areas near the Outer Ring Road. The growth rate was reportedly estimated at 25%, but real growth was only 8.79%.
During elections, especially in November, land registrations in Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Rangareddy and Sangareddy districts dipped. Then it slowly picked up in December.
Telangana recorded impressive GST collections touching Rs 30,048 crore in the first eight
months of the current fiscal.
With revenue growth dropping, the Deputy Chief Minister directed officials to find new ways to generate additional revenue in his pre-budget meetings.
He said that people have high expectations from the Congress government and that the government is committed to fulfilling all its assurances announced in the Congress election manifesto.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar held meetings with officials regarding the budget proposals of the Transport and BC Welfare Departments at the Secretariat.
Bhatti asked officials to reduce expenditures and explore ways to generate revenue. He also expressed concern over the increasing number of road accidents and asked Transport department officials to examine various models to reduce road accidents.
Earlier, Bhatti said that officials of all government departments should focus on mobilising alternative resources and supporting the state’s development without burdening the people. Necessary funds should be provided to fund the six guarantees to meet the people’s needs. Bhatti also asked officials to collect all pending taxes due to the government and said that the budget will focus on all sectors.
