Kishan Reddy urges govt to release White Paper on state finances
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy has written to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy urging the release of a comprehensive White Paper on the state’s financial condition before the upcoming Budget session.
In his letter on Tuesday, Kishan Reddy recalled that during the 2023 Assembly elections, the Congress Party made six major guarantees and 420 promises to the people of Telangana. He noted that while the Chief Minister initially claimed the state treasury was “empty like mud pots,” he later remarked that Rs 1,000 crore could be given to the Gandhi family and the Congress party, raising questions about financial transparency.
The BJP leader highlighted that since 2014, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the NDA Government has extended nearly Rs 12 lakh crore to Telangana through tax devolution, infrastructure projects, welfare schemes and capital investments.
This includes Rs 2.5 lakh crore in tax devolution, Rs 1.85 lakh crore for roads, Rs 36,000 crore in railway allocations, Rs 40,000 crore under MNREGA, and Rs 50,000 crore worth of PDS rice.
He also cited allocations for education, healthcare and power projects.
Farmers, he said, have received significant support: Rs 14,000 crore under PM‑KISAN, Rs 80,000 crore in fertiliser subsidies, nearly Rs 2 lakh crore in MSP payments for paddy, and Rs 60,000 crore for cotton procurement. Additionally, loans worth Rs 10 lakh crore have been extended to the state through Central financial institutions.
Kishan Reddy pointed to the special assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme, under which Telangana has received over Rs 10,000 crore in interest‑free loans for infrastructure projects such as drainage systems, railway expansion, bridges, hospitals, and Smart Cities initiatives.
Despite these allocations, he expressed concern that Telangana has shown little financial progress since its formation in 2014, citing rising per capita debt and dependence on borrowings for salaries, welfare schemes, and routine commitments.
Calling for accountability, Kishan Reddy urged the Chief Minister to place the true financial facts before the people of Telangana. He insisted that a White Paper would provide clarity and transparency, ensuring that citizens understand the State’s fiscal position ahead of the Budget Session.
