Union Budget 2019: TRS calls budget pro-rich, a burden on poor

Hyderabad: With no major allocations in the Union Budget, the TRS said the Centre had ignored Telangana state and termed the 2019-20 Budget presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman as “pro-rich” and a “burden” on the poor.

Addressing the media in New Delhi, TRS floor leader and Khammam MP Nama Nageswara Rao said the Centre’s Har Ghar Jal programme was Mission Bhagiratha, which was providing safe drinking water to every household.

He said the increase of duty on gold, petrol and diesel would affect the common man. “We were hoping that a developing city like Hyderabad would get something, but that didn’t happen. They have given exemptions on electric cars but a common man cannot afford them.”

The TRS MPs expressed displeasure over non-allocation of funds for the Kaleshwaram project and Mission Bhagiratha, which have become model projects for several states.

Medak MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy said, “The Budget is certainly disappointing. Though Niti Aayog had proposed to grant Rs 26,000 crore for Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya, there was no mention of it in the Budget. People were hoping the government would reduce income-tax slabs but that too didn’t happen.”

Zaheerabad MP B.B. Patil said, “We didn’t receive any help from the Centre. This Budget is definitely pro-rich and against the poor. The fuel hike is a burden on the people. The exemptions on GST and other taxes for electric vehicles are welcome as they would prevent pollution. However, the overall budget does not benefit Telangana state.”

MPs G. Ranjith Reddy from Chevella and M. Srinivas Reddy from Mahbubnagar accused the BJP of appropriating Mission Bhagiratha as ‘Har Ghar Jal’ programme. “We anticipated a lot for our state, but that didn’t happen and we are disappointed,” they said.

Agriculture minister S. Niranjan Reddy criticised the Centre for ignoring the state. He pointed out that there was no mention of promises made during bifurcation with regard to setting up the steel plant at Bayyaram, railway coach factory in Kagaznagar and a tribal university.

Congress MPs N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and A. Revanth Reddy said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao did not put pressure on the Centre due to “personal reasons.”

Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Budget was :very disappointing” and there was no mention about unemployment and farmers.

Mr Venkat Reddy said that the Centre had ignored the bifurcation promises of steel plant at Bayyaram, coach factory and tribal university.