Harish Rao calls Union Budget anti-farmer, anti-poor

The union budget is a big disappointment to progressive States and farmers of the nation, he said

Hyderabad: Finance Minister T Harish Rao termed the union Budget for 2023-24 presented by union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Parliament on Tuesday, as an absolutely an anti-farmer and anti-poor budget which will only benefit the corporates. He said the budget promises support to seven priority sectors, but has completely ignored the existing sectors.

“The union budget is a big disappointment to progressive States and farmers of the nation. It has done gross injustice to Telangana once again,” he said.

---

In a statement, Harish Rao pointed out that none of the promises made under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act including railway coach factory or steel factory, found no place in the budget even after nine years. Nominal funds were allotted to tribal university which remained a non-starter.

Despite repeated requests, he said none of the irrigation projects were accorded with the national project status. Similarly, no GST subsidies or incentives were given to weavers in the State. “We have repeatedly requests for incentives to young States like Telangana. But there has been no response,” he added.

The Finance Minister pointed out that no new special economic zones or industrial corridors were allotted to Telangana and no major funds were announced for development of those sanctioned by the previous governments. Further, the union budget proves to be a deterrent for farmers where subsidies on fertilisers, food subsidies, MGNREGS funds, and other support schemes were have been reduced staggeringly. He stated that the union budget does not offer any tax relief to the government employees and Singareni workers as suggested by the State government.