Hyderabad: Telangana deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Saturday, February 1 said that there was nothing for the state in the Union Budget.
Vikramarka added that the Centre failed to understand the issues faced by Telangana; “It reflected a glaring lack of understanding and commitment to states’ unique challenges and developmental priorities in general, and that of Telangana in particular,” he remarked.
Following the announcement of the union budget, the Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy chaired a meeting with the cabinet after which, Vikramarka said, “The people of Telangana refuse to accept this step-motherly treatment any longer. The state’s contribution to national progress is undeniable, and it demands equitable treatment, not systematic exclusion. The Centre must acknowledge Telangana’s potential and grant it the resources it rightfully deserves.”
Bhatti, who also holds the finance portfolio, said the budget, with a 30.5 percent increase in centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) allocations to Rs 5,41,850 crore (as compared to 4,15,356 crore in 2024-25 (RE)), moves further away from the principles of fiscal federalism.
Despite repeated calls from states for greater autonomy and a reduction in CSS dependence, this significant increase undermines states’ fiscal autonomy and reflects a disregard for the concerns and priorities of state governments, he said.
Telangana has consistently prioritised water conservation and irrigation projects, but the budget failed to allocate any significant funds. “The absence of support for Telangana’s irrigation initiatives is a direct blow to our farmers, who are the backbone of our economy. The budget’s focus on rural prosperity and agricultural growth rings hollow when it ignores the state’s pioneering efforts in water management,” he said.
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In his remark on the Union Budget, Telangana IT minister D Sridhar Babu said, “It really pained us, and it is unfortunate that the budget did not even mention the Musi rejuvenation project, Metro rail expansion, underground drainage network master plan for urban local bodies, IIM, and other key projects, and no budgetary allocations were made. The state govt sought Rs 1.63 lakh crore central support for key projects.”
He further termed the Union Budget as a political vendetta since poll-bound states Delhi and Bihar along with Andhra Pradesh were allocated a handsome budget. He alleged that Telangana was deliberately ignored despite eight Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs being elected from the state.
The IT minister accused the Centre of betraying Telangana, “The Modi govt betrayed the people of Telangana, despite the state electing eight BJP MPs. BRS, which maintains a secret friendship with the BJP, is trying to blame the Congress govt, instead of exerting pressure on the BJP govt and working in the interests of the state. Politics should be set aside when the interests of Telangana are involved.” he added.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President B Mahesh Kumar Goud criticised Nirmala Sitharaman for her lack of concern for Telangana.
In a statement, he said the Union Budget did a grave injustice to Telangana’s people. He added that the Union government did not allocate any funds for the state, which he described as a “donkey’s egg” (a term used to denote something insignificant).
Goud said the budget resembled an election-focused one, similar to the one presented for Bihar, where allocations were made with an eye on the upcoming elections.
The PCC chief accused the BJP of displaying clear discrimination against Telangana, “In a budget of Rs 50.65 lakh crore, the Union government did not allocate even a single rupee for Telangana.”
He alleged that the BJP is using the Union Budget to gain political mileage in Bihar, where Assembly elections are due soon. He emphasised that taxes collected from the people of the entire country should be distributed equally to all states.
