Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy disclosed that finance officials came up with proposals to present a Rs 3.5 lakh crore Budget but Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, holding finance portfolio, had refused to present an 'unrealistic budget' as the BRS government did in the past. (Image:DC)
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy disclosed that finance officials came up with proposals to present a Rs 3.5 lakh crore Budget but Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Deputy Chief Minister holding finance portfolio, had refused to present an 'unrealistic budget' as the BRS government did in the past.
Revanth Reddy said Bhatti had reviewed all the proposals in a realistic manner and drafted the Rs 2.75 lakh crore Budget. Speaking to media persons at his chambers in the Assembly on Tuesday, Revanth Reddy said, "I asked the finance officials whether the Rs 3.50 lakh crore Budget proposals were real or fake. They told me they are fake. I asked them ‘why do you want me to utter lies in the Assembly’. They told they were doing the same thing for the past ten years.”
Finance minister Bhatti also told the officials that he would not present unrealistic budget and asked them to come up realistic figures. “Finally, they arrived at a realistic figure of Rs 2.75 lakh crore," Revanth Reddy explained.
Revanth Reddy said that he had asked Bhatti whether it would not be a problem if he presented a Rs 2.75 lakh crore Budget, against the BRS government's Rs 2.9 lakh crore last year, with a deficit of Rs 15,000 crore as the BRS would start false propaganda against the Congress government.
"Normally, Budget size will be higher by Rs 50,000 crore over the previous year. But Bhatti made it clear that he would go for a realistic Budget rather than presenting a jumbo Budget with fake and inflated figures for the sake of false pride," Revanth Reddy said.
Referring to the Medigadda barrage visit organised by the state government for all MLAs, MLCs and MPs from all parties on February 13, to see the damage for themselves, Revanth Reddysaid. "All the floor leaders in the Assembly will be invited. I appeal to Leader of Opposition K.Chandrashekar Rao to join the trip without fail."
Revanth Reddy even offered to change February 13 date if Chandrashekar Rao and BRS leaders felt that they could not join the trip due to their proposed public meeting in Nalgonda the same day.
He said the state government would order an inquiry into the financial irregularities committed by the BRS government in construction of the Secretariat, Telangana Martyrs Memorial and the Dr Ambedkar statue.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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