Congress Budget for Telangana: Just glitter, no gold

The much-touted Six Guarantees, the Congress party’s electoral plank, seem to have been significantly diluted in the State's budget for 2025-26

Hyderabad: The Telangana government’s latest budget for 2025-26, touted as a blueprint for growth and welfare, fails to withstand scrutiny. While the numbers, Rs 3.04 lakh crore in total expenditure, a projected revenue surplus of Rs 2,738 crore, and an ambitious goal of transforming Telangana into a trillion-dollar economy, may appear impressive, the finer details reveal the stark reality of unfulfilled electoral promises, misplaced priorities and growing public disillusionment.

The much-touted Six Guarantees, the Congress party’s electoral plank, seem to have been significantly diluted. Though Rs.56,084 crore has been allocated under various schemes tied to these promises, the budget falls short of expectations in implementation.

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Take the instance of Rythu Bharosa, which was meant to provide robust support for farmers. While Rs.18,000 crore has been earmarked, concerns over its execution persist. The Congress government had earlier skipped the Rythu Bharosa financial aid for the Vanakalam (Kharif) season, citing the crop loan waiver. Now, with just 10 days left in the fiscal year, farmers are still waiting for payments under the Yasangi (Rabi) season, indicating delays and inefficiencies.

While Rs.24,439 crore has been allocated for agriculture and allied sectors, a closer look shows that Rs.18,000 crore goes to Rythu Bharosa, Rs.1,800 crore for paddy bonuses, and Rs.600 crore for Indiramma Aathmiya Bharosa, leaving only Rs.4,039 crore for the entire department. With Rs.1,297 crore reserved for salaries and recurring expenses, very little is left for actual agricultural development.

Hollow Welfare Promises

The Cheyutha scheme, aimed at uplifting weaker sections, has been allotted Rs.14,861 crore, yet no clarity exists on its implementation. Similarly, Indiramma Houses get Rs.12,571 crore, but concerns persist over the thousands of unfinished double-bedroom houses from previous regimes. The highly publicised Mahalakshmi scheme, which promised free bus travel for women, LPG subsidies, and 200 units of free electricity, have allocations far lower than required, raising doubts about long-term sustainability.

Experts highlight that Rs.4,305 crore for free bus travel, Rs.723 crore for LPG subsidies, and Rs.2,080 crore for free electricity fall far short of the demand, leaving many to question if these schemes are merely political showpieces. Rajiv Aarogya Sri, meant to improve healthcare access, gets just Rs.1,143 crore, making its expansion virtually impossible.

Neglect of Key Sectors

Beyond the Six Guarantees, the budget is conspicuously silent on crucial issues. While the budget speech painted a rosy picture of economic growth and future aspirations, the ground reality tells a different story. Women, who were promised Rs.2,500 in financial assistance within 100 days, are left empty-handed. Social security pensions, which were supposed to increase to Rs.4,000, also remain stagnant.

For farmers and weaker sections, the budget provides little relief. The sheep distribution scheme for Yadava communities, once a flagship welfare programme, finds no mention. Despite making allocation of Rs.1,674 crore to Animal Husbandry and Fisheries department, only Rs.517 crore are spared for implementation of schemes confirming the fears that the free distribution sheep, cattle and fishlings have been scrapped altogether. Similarly, the Rs.12 lakh Ambedkar Abhaya Hastam for Dalit welfare appears abandoned, leaving Dalit and tribal communities in despair.

The Congress had promised two lakh government jobs, yet no recruitment plan has been outlined. The PRC and DA for government employees remain unaddressed, creating uncertainty for lakhs of workers. The Gig Workers’ Welfare Board, meant to support app-based delivery executives and drivers, receives no allocation, and the Auto Drivers’ Welfare Board is missing altogether, despite rising suicides among drivers due to financial distress.

Worsening Fiscal Crisis

Adding to these shortcomings, the budget reveals a worsening financial crisis. Telangana’s fiscal deficit has surged to Rs.54,009 crore, and the government plans to borrow Rs.69,639 crore to sustain its spending. With no clear strategy for revenue generation, questions about long-term financial stability loom large. The revenue estimate targets also indicate hike in taxes.

Despite boasting of a 10.1 per cent GSDP growth and a per capita income of Rs.3,79,751, these numbers fail to translate into tangible benefits for the common citizen. The gap between budgetary allocations and electoral commitments suggests a government that is struggling to fulfill its promises.

The Telangana Budget 2025-26, which looks more like an exercise in political posturing, projects ambition, but lacks a credible plan for execution. The Congress, which came to power on guarantees of welfare and growth, appears to be backtracking on its commitments, leaving the poor, unemployed and marginalised communities with little more than a cleverly packaged illusion.

– Rs.18,000 crore for Rythu Bharosa, but concerns over execution persist

– Farmers still waiting for Yasangi assistance

– Nothing much allocated for actual agri development after schemes, recurring expenses

– Cheyutha scheme allotted Rs.14,861 crore, but no clarity on implementation

– Indiramma Houses get Rs.12,571 crore; concerns persist over thousands of unfinished 2BHK houses

– Rajiv Aarogya Sri gets just Rs.1,143 crore, making expansion impossible

– Nothing on promised Rs.2,500 for women

– Social security pensions, supposed to increase to Rs.4,000, remain stagnant

– No mention of sheep distribution scheme for Yadava communities

– Rs.12 lakh Ambedkar Abhaya Hastam for Dalit welfare abandoned

– No recruitment plan outlined for promised two lakh government jobs

– PRC and DA for government employees remain unaddressed

– Gig Workers’ Welfare Board receives no allocation

– Auto Drivers’ Welfare Board missing