Hyderabad, Nov 22: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman expressed reservations about the fulfillment of Telangana’s statehood objectives, questioning the progress in water supply, funds allocation, and appointments promised at its inception. Ms. Sitharaman accused the BRS government of falling short in achieving these goals and transforming Telangana from a state with a surplus budget into one laden with debt.
Addressing reporters in Hyderabad on Tuesday, Ms. Sitharaman criticized the construction of the Kaleshwaram project, highlighting alleged corruption and pledging to investigate the matter. She advocated for a BC (Backward Class) leader to become the Chief Minister and reiterated the commitment to SC classification, as promised by the Prime Minister. Ms. Sitharaman expressed disappointment over the state government’s failure to leverage the skilled youth in Hyderabad.
Raising concerns about the growing state debt burden, Ms. Sitharaman touched upon issues like unemployment benefits, farmer suicides during KCR’s rule, and the need for responsible governance.
She questioned the state’s literacy rate, noting that Telangana lags behind the national average, and raised doubts about the utilization of funds allocated for the development of BCs.
Ms. Sitharaman highlighted the existence of 2,000 job openings in 11 universities in Telangana, stressing the importance of giving education the appropriate priority. She condemned BRS leaders for supposedly exploiting the Prime Minister for political critique and deemed the statements made by BRS leaders, claiming that the BJP will install meters on motors, as completely untrue.
The Union Finance Minister announced plans for the introduction of a bill on classification in the winter session of Parliament and asserted that the Ayodhya Ram Mandir would be inaugurated on January 22.
