Telangana opposed GST imposition on textiles in 2017 itself: Harish Rao

Hyderabad: Snubbing allegations by union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy over the imposition of GST on textiles, Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Monday said the Telangana government had appealed to the union government for exemption of handloom products from the GST purview when the Centre proposed it in 2017. He released documents submitted to […]

Hyderabad: Snubbing allegations by union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy over the imposition of GST on textiles, Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Monday said the Telangana government had appealed to the union government for exemption of handloom products from the GST purview when the Centre proposed it in 2017. He released documents submitted to the GST Council by the then Finance Minister Etala Rajender, who is now a BJP MLA.

“Being an union Minister, Kishan Reddy should check his facts before making such remarks,” he said, demanding an unconditional apology from the BJP leaders for spreading false propaganda against the State government which was fighting against imposition of five per cent GST on handloom products.

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In a point-by-point rebuttal to the union Minister’s allegations, Harish Rao on Monday accused the union government of offering to provide an additional borrowing of 0.5 per cent of GSDP under Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) for implementing electricity reforms. He released a communication from the union Finance Ministry in June last year, advising the States to withdraw power subsidies and impose restrictions on power consumption through installation of new electricity meters.

“The Modi government offered to allow an additional borrowing of Rs.6,000 crore per annum i.e. total Rs.30,000 crore, for following its orders. But Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao rejected the proposal as it was detrimental to the interests of over 65 lakh farmers in the State,” he said. He dared Kishan Reddy to prove him wrong, by getting approvals to borrow Rs.12,000 crore for the last two years.

The Finance Minister also rubbished the claims of Kishan Reddy that the Centre provided Rs.800 crore for fluoride removal. He pointed out that the Centre did not release any funds for Mission Bhagiratha, though the NITI Aayog recommended for allocation of Rs.19,200 crore while the 15th Finance Commission too had recommended for allocation of Rs.2,350 crore. While the Telangana government spent Rs.36,000 crore to provide tap connections to 100 per cent households in the State, the union government did not release 50 per cent of funds as promised under the Har Ghar ko Jal scheme.

He pointed out that the Centre was yet to settle the water disputes and finalise allocations in Krishna river water. Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured to complete the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme during his 2014 electioneering, there was no progress till date. “Kishan Reddy should first get these issues resolved, before seeking votes from the people of Munugode,” he said.

Harish Rao also ridiculed the BJP leaders for questioning the TRS (now BRS) for admitting leaders from other political parties. He targeted the BJP for facilitating joining of the four TDP MPs in the former and keeping the decision pending over disqualification of YSRCP MP Raghuramakrishnam Raju in Andhra Pradesh even after two years. He reminded that the BJP toppled governments in eight States including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Goa. He demanded to know why BJP State general secretary Premender Reddy filed a petition in the High Court seeking to transfer the MLA bribing case to the CBI, if the BJP was not involved.

The Finance Minister declared that the victory of TRS in Munugode bypolls was inevitable. He said the people would vote for Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for driving away the demon of fluoride forever. He stated that people were not ready to fall for the false propaganda of Kishan Reddy and BJP State president Bandi Sanjay.