Prepare Realistic Budget for 2024-25: Revanth

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy asked finance officials to prepare a 'realistic budget' for 2024-25. He directed officials to reveal facts to people through Budget on the debt burden of the state government, pending bills that the government needs to clear, monthly-wise expenditure of the government. He asked them not to hide details on loans and not to magnify  income and expenditure to give a wrong picture on the state's finances.

Revanth Reddy on Wednesday held a review meeting on the finance department at Secretariat. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who hold finance portfolio,  finance special chief secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao, secretary T.K.Sreedevi and other officials were present in the meeting.

He asked officials to check unnecessary expenditure, not to purchase new vehicles and reduce expenditure on publicity and advertisements. He asked them to use old vehicles and issue advertisements only in unavoidable circumstances.

Revanth Reddy directed officials to focus on securing maximum grants from the Centre for the implementation of various welfare schemes and development programmes. He said the Centre implements several centrally sponsored schemes and instructed officials to tap those schemes to the maximum extent to reduce burden on the state government.

He asked officials to ensure Telangana secures 100 per cent grants from the Centre.  He instructed officials to prepare budget for 2024-25 as if Telangana state has been formed only recently since the previous BRS government which ruled the state for 10 years drafted 'unrealistic budgets ' with fake figures on loans, income and expenditure.

He asked officials to prepare exact estimates on the actual income of the state government, expenditure to be incurred on salaries and pensions for employees, expenditure to be incurred on fulfilling the promises made to people during elections etc.