Equal Focus on Welfare and Development, Says Bhatti

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka said that welfare and development had received equal impetus in the Budget, with agriculture, Hyderabad, health and skilling receiving equal primacy.

Interacting with media persons after presenting the Budget in the Assembly on Thursday, he said, “It was strange for former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to talk about Dalit Bandhu, after failing to release a single rupee out of Rs.17,700 crore allocated in the Budget.”

He said that SC, ST sub-plan funds would be spent in full without being diverted unlike the past. The fact that Rs.10,000 crore has been allocated to improve basic infrastructure in Hyderabad indicates the importance that it has given to the city.

Anganwadi centres were being upgraded up to Class 3. From Class 4, we are setting up an integrated residential school system. This would make Telangana the role model in the entire country, he added.

Women self-help groups and other schemes will be allocated Rs.20,000 crore each year for the next five years to provide interest-free loans to establish micro, small industrial parks to enable them to become successful entrepreneurs. The government aims to transform one crore women into crorepatis. The government has allotted 3.5 acres of land in Hyderabad for the marketing of products produced by DWCRA groups.

Asked what kind of business activity they foresee to make one crore women crorepatis, he said, “Our focus is on women. Indira Kranthi Patham, self help groups allocation might go up to even `25,000 crore. We will provide the support system to market their products. Membership of self help groups of 65 lakh will be increased to one crore.”

Interjecting in the discussion, IT minister D. Sridhar Babu, said, “In 2005 when we thought of making women lakhpatis the same question was raised. Many women in self help groups are lakhpatis now. They were neglected in the last 10 years. Our vision is to make them crorepatis and look at this on a positive note.”

Wondering why the BRS chief left the Assembly in a huff, Bhatti opined that he should have attended the session on Wednesday which discussed denial of funds by the centre.

To another query he said the GST collections will improve in the following quarters though it is less now.

On the allocation of Rs.1,500 crore to Musi river front as against the Chief Minister’s statements about the requirement of Rs.1.5 lakh crore the minister said a DPR (detailed project report) is being prepared and the funds have been provided for it. To another query, he said that irrigation will get more funds for capital expenditure and has not been reduced.

Responding to how funds will be mobilised to fill the deficit in revenue, Sridhar Babu said they know how to garner funds and cannot disclose the plans now. “Budget is pro-poor and an inclusive budget. Along with Indiramma houses for the BPL families, we are coming up with a plan for lower and middle class housing,” he added.