KCR's Budget plans indicate early polls

Hyderabad: The Irrigation sector, which has been getting top priority in the budget since the formation of Telangana State, is likely to face a massive downsizing. According to sources, the 2022-2023 budget will lay greater emphasis on the welfare budget giving rise to speculations that the KCR may opt for early elections in 2023.

The Dalit Bandhu scheme, which was launched on the eve of Huzurabad by-elections, would get the highest allocation. The government has been allocating not less than Rs 15,000 crore for irrigation almost every year. The highest allocation of Rs 25,000 crore was made in 2016-17 budget.

But now the government wants to give more allocations for Dalit Bandhu, Aasra pension scheme and other welfare schemes. It also wants to give more importance to farmers' welfare. Sources said that this time the allocation for irrigation may not be more than Rs 8,000 crore.

However, the ongoing projects will not be affected since the government has created corporations to complete projects like the Palamuru Ranga Reddy lift irrigation and Devadula projects. "There is no new major irrigation scheme under proposal before the government," said an official.

"The government is making all arrangements to ensure adequate allocations to all welfare schemes so that every deserved person avails the benefit before the election season begins in 2023. The allocations for all welfare schemes will go up by 40 per cent and the Dalit Bandhu scheme alone will get Rs 20,000 crore in the total outlay. The capital expenditure will also be reduced," said the official.