Hyderabad:
The BJP spokesperson, Rani Rudrama, criticized the budget for 2024-25. She said it fails to fulfill electoral promises and follows the BRS regime’s path, pushing the State into more debt.
At a media briefing, she highlighted that the budget neglects important areas like education, women, and health. She also pointed out that the budget increases the State’s debt.
According to the government’s socio-economic report, the per capita debt until the financial year 2023-24 is Rs 1,76,000 crore. For the fiscal year 2024-25, the government predicts the debt will reach Rs 70,000 crore, including non-budgetary debts and property mortgages. The budget forecasts borrowing Rs 100,000 lakh crore.
Rani Rudrama referred to Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s comments, noting that the State plans to raise thousands of crores through merchant bankers. She said this would push the per capita debt to over Rs 2 lakh by the end of the year. Despite higher income receipts, excluding Central funds and loans, the budget proposes more borrowing.
She questioned, “Does the government plan to increase liquor prices, registration, power, and bus charges to burden the people?” She also pointed out that the non-tax income is listed as Rs 35,208 crore and wondered if this means the government plans to sell land. The difference between budget allocations and revised estimates in 2023-24 was 17 percent, and she fears the 2024-25 budget will be similar.
