Telangana Budget snapshot: Top 12 categories; focus on six guarantees

HYDERABAD: Telangana Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramaraka presented the vote-on-account budget for the year 2024-25 in the Legislative Assembly on Saturday. He proposed a total expenditure of Rs 2,75,891 crore. During his speech, the Minister shared that the revenue expenditure in the State was Rs 2,01,178 crore and the capital expenditure was Rs 29,669 crore.

Here is the summary of the budget presented in the house

1) Abhaya Hastam (Six Guarantees)

- Rs 1.29 crore applications received from December 28, 2023 to January 6, 2024 for implementation of guarantees. Applications being digitised to

facilitate identification of eligible beneficiaries and for resource mobilisation.

- Free RTC Bus Transport Facility: Govt providing funds to the TSRTC to the tune of Rs 300 crores each month for the scheme

- Rajiv Aarogyasri been revamped. Limit for medical treatment hiked from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. I

- Supply of LPG cylinder at Rs 500 under Gruha Jyothi scheme, 200 units of free electricity per month to all eligible consumers to be implemented soon.

- Under Indiramma scheme, 3,500 houses would be sanctioned to each Assembly constituency. The Budget proposed Rs 7,740 crore for the housing scheme.

"The Government has decided to introduce Gruha Jyothi scheme to supply 200 units of free power to eligible families and proposed Rs 2,418 crore for this scheme in the Budget. Rs 16,825 crore is proposed for Transco and Discoms in the budget," said Bhatti Vikramarka.

-Rythu Bharosa, Cheyutha and Yuva Vikasam to be implemented "at the earliest." Rs 53,196 crore proposed in the budget for implementation of theseschemes.

2) Industries

- Micro and Small industries: Utilising PM Mithra funds, the Government would develop Kakatiya Mega Textile Park, two leather parks with Central assistance.

- Pharma clusters to be set up this year in the State to ensure equitable development across the State

- Dry ports, goods transport would be setup for export from Telangana. This would greatly incentivise exports of goods from State

- Rs 2,543 crore allocated for industries department in this budget.

3) IT Industry

- Rs 774 crore proposed for expanding IT to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities by utilising consultation services with US based organisation IT SERVE

4) Musi Riverfront

- Explaining the idea of the Finance Minister said, "Our Government will take up the Musi River Front Project. As part of this, pedestrian zones, people’s plazas, heritage zones in Old city will be developed. River Musi and its catchment area will be developed into environment friendly zone with a comprehensive plan. Cultural heritage places will also be protected as part of the project. Funding for the project will be partly raised by monetisation of the River Front. Undoubtedly, in future Musi River will be a place of tourist attraction. In this Budget we are proposing Rs 1,000 crore, for the project."

Also Read: Revanth Reddy seeks funds for Musi riverfront, Metro Rail projects from New Development Bank

5) Agriulture Sector

- "We decided to review Rythu Bandhu the scheme and implement Rythu Bharosa to the actually eligible beneficiaries @ Rs 15,000 per acre. We also promised to include the tenant farmers who were left in the lurch by the previous Government," said Bhatti Vikramarka.

- Crop Insurance scheme based on the PM Fasal Bhima Yojana to be implemented after reviewing schemes in other States. Rs.19,746 crores has been allocated for the Agriculture sector.

- A five-member Committee to study the Dharani Portal and suggest measures to resolve the problems

7) Schools

- Construction of new buildings for SC schools. Rs 1,000 crore for SC schools and Rs 250 crore for ST Schools proposed in this budget.

- All Government schools would be provided with digital classrooms.

- To setup Telangana Public Schools on pilot basis, Rs 500 crore was proposed in the budget

- "In the field of higher gducation for the students of these communities, we proposed to set up two MBA colleges through residential schools society. Proposals in this regard have already been submitted to All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for necessary permissions," said the Finance Minister.

- Over Rs 500 crore proposed in the budget for infrastructure facilities to all the Universities including Osmania University. The budget proposed Rs 21,389 crore for the education sector

8) Backward Clases

- For SC welfare Rs 21,874 crore was proposed in this budget. Similarly, Rs 13,313 crore for ST welfare and Rs 2,262 crore for Minorities welfare was proposed in the budget. It also propsed Rs 8,000 crore for BC welfare.

9) Health Sector

- "The Congress Government had already appointed 6,956 nursing officers soon as it assumed power. Over Rs 11,500 crore has been proposed for medical and health sector in the Budget," the Finance Minister said

10) Police Department

- The Government would recruit 15,000 police constables in the near future. Over 64 Group-I posts would be filled very soon

11) Over Rs 28,024 crore proposed for irrigation in the budget

12) Rs 110 crore funds to provide all necessary facilities for pilgrims of Samakka Sarakka jatara already released by the Congress Government