The BRS Government in Telangana has slammed the Union Budget as the poll-bound neighbouring Karnataka got Rs 5,300 crore for Upper Bhadra Project which caused considerable heartburn as the state did not even get a mention save the Indian Institute of Millet Research in Hyderabad which will be supported by the Central government as a Centre of Excellence.

The state Finance Minister T Harish Rao lashed out at the Centre for the Union Budget, which he labeled as a “Budget of illusions” and said apart from “some beautiful words there is nothing in it”.

According to Rao, it is an anti-poor budget. He lamented that cesses were not reduced and that there was no relief for the farm sector either with the Centre reducing the allocation to PM Kisan Fund and cuts in fertilizer subsidy.

The BRS leaders were particularly unhappy with Rs 5,300 crore allocated to BJP-ruled Karnataka for drought management while the irrigation projects in Telangana were overlooked.

Telangana has been seeking national status for its Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, but that too was denied to the state. So were the projects promised in the AP Reorganisation Act during bifurcation of the unified state which includes a railway coach factory and a tribal university.

A disappointed Harish Rao said, “This Budget has done great injustice to the state of Telangana” pointing out that Karnataka was given priority because elections to be held there in a few months.

Telangana also lost out financially to the tune of Rs 6,000 crore since it has refused to install meters for farmers and hence the incentive of enhancing 0.5 per cent fiscal deficit to states cannot be availed by it. According to the Union Budget the states will be allowed 3.5 per cent fiscal deficit of GSDP of which 0.5 per cent will be tied to power sector reforms.

BRS MLC K Kavitha too pointed out that Telangana and a few other states which are neither BJP ruled nor poll-bound, did not find any mention in the Budget. She claimed she was happy that Karnataka’s Upper Bhadra Project got Rs 5300, but wondered why Telangana’s Mission Bhagiratha was not considered despite being recommended by Niti Aayog. She asked, “If the Union government wants ‘Sabka saath’ then why can’t it believe in ‘Sabka Vikas’.”