Telangana Assembly Witnesses Heated Debate on Loans and Repayments

Hyderabad: The Telangana Assembly held a short discussion on the state’s financial position, focusing on loans and their repayment. Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka countered allegations made by Finance Minister T. Harish Rao regarding the state’s debt.

“We released a white paper on the state’s financial condition immediately after assuming office,” Bhatti Vikramarka said, clarifying that Telangana’s total debt stands at ₹6.71 lakh crore.

Accusing Harish Rao of making baseless allegations, he remarked, “Harish Rao has a knack for twisting facts—portraying what doesn’t exist as real and ignoring what’s real.” He further alleged that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders had accumulated ₹40,150 crore in pending bills, raising the combined debt, including pending bills, to ₹7.19 lakh crore.

Addressing concerns about the current government’s borrowing, Bhatti Vikramarka stated, “Since we assumed office, we have borrowed ₹52,118 crore.”