Telangana govt set to present Budget tomorrow

Hyderabad: The Telangana government is set to present vote-on-account budget in the Assembly and also the Council on Friday on the first day of the four-day session.

Both the Assembly and Council will meet separately at 11.30 am, following which the state government will present the budget.

The budget session will conclude with adoption of the Appropriation Bill on the last day, February 25. According to sources, major allocations will be made to the irrigation department as the state government is in the process of implementing major irrigation projects.

Also, the government will ensure appropriate funds towards fulfilling some of the poll promises such as Rs one lakh farm loan waiver and Rythu Bandhu scheme.

Chief Minister and TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao, during his assembly poll campaign, promised to increase the assistance under the Rythu Bandhu scheme to Rs 10,000 per annum from the current Rs 8,000 if voted to power again.

Chief Secretary SK Joshi, Finance Advisor GR Reddy, Principal Secretary (Finance) Rama Krishna Rao, CMO Principal secretary Narsing Rao and other senior officials held detailed discussions on the government priorities, schemes and the expenditure likely to be incurred on them, official sources said.

Ahead of the Budget session, the Telangana cabinet, after the expansion, will meet on Thursday evening at Pragathi Bhavan here.

The cabinet will approve the budget and take up other issues, an official release had said. Chandrasekhar Rao had earlier instructed officials that adequate budgetary provision should be made to meet the commitments made during the recent election campaign and for existing schemes.