The Telangana State Government predicts that its total debt burden will reach Rs 3.80 lakh crore by the end of the current financial year. This information was revealed in a White Paper report on Telangana State Finances, which showed an alarming increase in debt from 2014 until now.
According to the report, Telangana state started with a debt of Rs. 72,658 crores in the fiscal year 2014-15. This debt increased at an average rate of 24.5% per year between 2014-15 and 2022-23, reaching Rs. 3,52,061 crores by 2022-23. The report also estimates that the debt will further increase to Rs. 3,89,673 crores in the fiscal year 2023-24.
The debt-to-GSDP ratio of the state was one of the lowest in the country in the fiscal year 2015-16, at 15.7%. However, by 2023-24, this ratio has almost doubled to 27.8%, showing a consistent upward trend over the years. On average, the debt-to-GSDP ratio was 21.5% between 2014-22. Additionally, in the fiscal years 2020-21 and 2021-22, the state failed to keep the debt-to-GSDP ratio within the recommended 25% ceiling set by the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act.
You can find more details in the White Paper report [here](https://www.thehansindia.com/pdf_upload/01-1408031.pdf).
