The Telangana Budget 2025-26, presented by the Congress government, exposed its continued neglect of crucial sectors with insufficient allocations for health, education, agriculture, and rural development, which directly impact the lives of people, charged State BJP president and Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy on Friday.
Despite multiple reports exposing the ‘alarming’ condition of education infrastructure, the government has failed to take corrective measures. Thousands of schools continue to function without adequate facilities, including proper buildings, toilets, and sufficient teachers, he claimed in a series of posts on ‘X’.
“Instead of addressing these pressing issues, the government has presented a budget for education that remains significantly lower than the national average of 15%. Similarly, it has failed to prioritise the healthcare sector, as evidenced by the meagre budgetary allocation of 4.8%,” he said.
This underfunding of healthcare services will only increase existing challenges and deprive people of essential medical facilities and care, maintained Mr. Reddy. Rural development allocation has been a mere 4.1%, which clearly indicates the government’s lack of commitment to strengthening rural infrastructure, he said.
The Congress government has also slashed the agriculture budget by 48% compared to last year indicating that support to the farmers is a mere lip service. The government’s failure to deliver is evident as 2023-24 budget estimates which were ₹2,39,455 crore, but actual receipts stood at ₹1,69,329 crore, a shortfall of 29%, with revenue balance dropping by 84%. The inflated revenue projections and under-utilised sectoral funds also exposed Congress’s poor fiscal planning, he claimed.
The BJP leader said the government seemed to be following the previous government’s path and should reassess its priorities and allocate sufficient resources to key sectors such as education, healthcare, rural development, and agriculture.
A balanced and well-planned budget is essential to drive inclusive growth and ensure long-term prosperity for people of Telangana, he added.
Published – March 28, 2025 08:57 pm IST
