Budget session of Telangana Assembly to begin from Tuesday

Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka is scheduled to present the full-scale budget on July 25, with a reported outlay of more than Rs.2.9 lakh crore.

Hyderabad: The budget session of Telangana State Assembly is all set to begin on a stormy note on Tuesday. While the ruling Congress will be presenting its first full-scale budget budget for 2024-25 and is expected to boast about its achievements in the last seven months, the opposition BRS is gearing up to corner the former on multiple issues ranging from the crop loan waiver to government job vacancies and pending funds to local bodies.

Earlier in February this year, the State government presented a Vote-on-Account budget with an outlay of Rs.2,75,891 crore, which is scheduled to expire this month. Accordingly, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka is scheduled to present the full-scale budget on July 25, with a reported outlay of more than Rs.2.9 lakh crore.

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However, the BRS is planning to utilise the opportunity to corner the Congress-led government over its inefficiency in addressing key issues in the State. Sources said the BRS was likely to raise the declining law and order situation in the State, especially the police aggression against students and job seekers who were seeking release of a job calendar.

The party leadership is learnt to have asked all its MLAs to attend the budget session, with full preparation to question the government on the six guarantees promised during the Assembly polls. The BRS is expected to raise issues regarding the State government’s negligence leading to suicides of farmers and handloom weavers in Telangana. The BRS legislators will also question the State government on the restrictions on eligibility criteria for implementing the farm loan waiver, delay in implementing Rythu Bharosa, failure to pay bonus for paddy and other agricultural issues. It will also discuss laxity in release of funds for local bodies, poor sanitation and public health facilities.

Officials said while the Assembly would commence on Tuesday, the Legislative Council would resume operations from Wednesday. After the State budget presentation on July 25, the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting will be held to decide the number of working days for this session. The officials have been already instructed to come to the Assembly with all the relevant information sought by the MLAs.