KTR debunks Centre’s debt narrative against Telangana, demands answers from Nirmala Sitharaman
Says 14 Prime Ministers collectively borrowed Rs 56 lakh crore over 65 years since India's Independence, while Modi government alone has borrowed Rs 125 lakh crore in just 10 years between 2014 and 2024
Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Central government, charging it with excessive borrowing, financial recklessness and systematic discrimination against Telangana. He debunked the false narrative on Telangana’s mounting debt by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha recently and demanded accountability on the Centre’s Rs 125 lakh crore borrowing over the last decade, questioning its lack of tangible development outcomes.
In an open letter to the Finance Minister, Rama Rao pointed out that 14 Prime Ministers had collectively borrowed Rs 56 lakh crore over 65 years since India’s Independence, while the Modi government alone has borrowed Rs 125 lakh crore in just 10 years between 2014 and 2024. “A government that has incurred the highest debt in the history of India has no moral right to question Telangana’s borrowing,” he lashed out.
He reminded Sitharaman that Telangana was a surplus Budget State even before its formation in 2014, and despite inheriting a debt of nearly Rs 70,000 crore, the BRS government ensured that the State remained fiscally strong. Even after a decade of BRS rule, he asserted, Telangana was handed over to the Congress with a surplus budget, robust infrastructure, and transformative development.
The former IT and Industries Minister slammed the BJP for waiving lakhs of crores in corporate loans, while repeatedly questioning Telangana’s responsible borrowing. He said every rupee borrowed was invested in long-term infrastructure projects, irrigation and power sector reforms, which contributed to Telangana’s rapid development. He noted that the Kaleshwaram project, Mission Bhagiratha and industrial expansion initiatives were among the key interventions that transformed the State’s economy.
“Unlike the Centre, which has failed to justify its reckless borrowing, the BRS government turned every rupee into assets, building a State that now contributes heavily to the national economy,” he declared.
He said it was not appropriate to judge a government solely on the basis of its debt but rather on how the borrowed funds were utilised. While Telangana’s borrowings resulted in permanent assets and sustainable growth, he questioned the Centre’s lack of transparency on how its borrowings were spent.
Rama Rao questioned the BJP over its deliberate discrimination against Telangana, in budgetary allocations and infrastructure development projects. He recalled how the Modi government illegally transferred seven mandals and the Lower Siler Power Project to Andhra Pradesh immediately after coming to power. “From day one, the BJP has worked against Telangana’s interests,” he charged.
He lambasted the Centre for failing to allocate a single rupee to the Turmeric Board, despite repeated appeals, and questioned why the chairman of the board does not even have an office. He also condemned the BJP’s scrapping of the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) project, a move that has cost Telangana thousands of potential jobs and massive IT sector growth.
In addition, he expressed concern over the Centre’s handling of railway projects and industrial initiatives, pointing out that the Cement Corporation of India in Adilabad remained non-operational, depriving the region of employment opportunities.
The BRS working president reminded the people of Telangana that despite having eight BJP MPs, the State has received nothing from the Centre. “Not even eight paise has been secured for Telangana in the last 11 years of BJP rule. The people of Telangana will not forget this betrayal,” he thundered.
He also referred to Telangana’s contributions to the national economy, particularly its revenue generation, and remarked that despite this, budget allocations for the State had not been proportionate. He criticised an imbalance in fund distribution, which he said had affected the pace of Telangana’s growth.
Rama Rao also exposed the Centre’s attempts to misrepresent State achievements, pointing out that Mission Bhagiratha, a completely State-funded initiative, provided 100 per cent drinking water coverage to households, while the BJP falsely claimed credit for 38 lakh tap connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission which was inspired from Mission Bhagiratha.
He took exception to Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s remarks on Telangana’s financial demands, calling them an insult to the State’s self-respect. He also questioned the BJP’s failure to deliver on promises made in Parliament, terming it a betrayal of Telangana’s aspirations.
He also warned that the people of Telangana will never forgive the BJP’s deceits. “You can try to blame BRS all you want, but the people of Telangana know the truth. They will not fall for the BJP’s deception,” he asserted.
