KCR has turned Telangana from surplus to 'debt ridden' state: FM Sitharaman

Hyderabad, Nov 21 (PTI) Telangana was a revenue surplus state when it was formed in 2014 and has now become a revenue deficit state, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman alleged on Tuesday, saying the 'credit' goes to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

Addressing a 'meet and greet' gathering organised for Malkajgiri BJP candidate N Ramchander Rao, Sitharaman said the next two-to-three generations of Telangana residents will end up repaying the debts.

Stating that Telangana is one of the states opposing bringing liquor, petrol and diesel under GST purview, she said if they are included, the rates would be reasonable.

"Investments are coming anyway into the state. The state which was revenue surplus (in 2014) is now transformed into a revenue deficit state. The credit goes to KCR," she said mockingly. "Today, Telangana is debt ridden. In the next two to three generations, our children will have to repay those debts." Moving on to training her guns at the Congress, Sitharaman alleged that during the UPA regime, defence personnel of the country were deprived of not only bullet-proof jackets, but also other safety equipment. No procurements were made during those 10 years, she further claimed.

On the controversial purchase of Rafale fighter jets, she said it was a government-to-government agreement and, as per schedule, every aircraft has been delivered. "So the decisions were taken in national interest. There were no kickbacks and no companies with which we had any dealings," Sitharaman claimed.

Seeking votes for the BJP candidate, Sitharaman said Ramchander Rao is a loyal leader of the party and has a clean image.

Later at a press conference slamming the BRS government, Sitharaman claimed that Telangana witnessed high inflation for more than two years due to high fuel prices, and that the Centre was successfully controlling inflation at the national level through various measures.

Reacting to the allegation by KCR that the Centre, in the last five years, has not given Telangana a total of Rs 25,000 crore funds because the state government refused to fix meters on agriculture pump sets, Sitharaman said for additional borrowings of any state, there are certain conditions to be fulfilled.

"If you don’t fulfill the condition and go for extra borrowing, how can we give? Have other states not done it. Should we give you an exemption? You are not prepared to do it (fixing meters to pump sets) but blaming (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi. This drama is going on in the state, which is harmful," she remarked.

She also alleged that the KCR government has spent just Rs 77 crore towards the development of Backward Communities, against the budgeted Rs 3,300 crore.

“The level of corruption and the dynastic rule (in Telangana) has become the feature of this government,” she said, slamming the BRS regime.

Listing out the alleged failures of the state government, she said there are about 2,000 vacancies in various universities even as the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) failed to conduct examinations properly.

Alleging that Rao failed to fulfill the BRS's poll promises, Sitharaman claimed that as many as 6,000 farmers committed suicides in Telangana.

On Telangana becoming the number one state in per capita income, she said per capita debt also should be taken into consideration while claiming growth.

On "freebies", she said many states in the country, without taking the financial situation into consideration, are promising various schemes and implementing them by borrowing funds.

She said that any state can give "freebies" if it wants, by making a provision in the budget and duly passing it in the assembly.

Seeking votes for BJP candidates in the state, Sitharaman listed out the promises made in the party’s manifesto. PTI