Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has alleged that the Narendra Modi Government is discriminating against the South by ignoring it completely in the Union Budget. Hinting at putting up a strong front in association with States like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, he said the Southern States were getting a raw deal in the Union budgets.

Alleging that Telangana was completely ignored in the Union Budget, he wondered how the Government chose to allocate funds for Andhra Pradesh under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, while ignoring Telangana, which also deserved attention under the same Act.

“The Act is meant for both the States. But the Centre chose to favour only Andhra Pradesh. It, in fact, is quid pro quo as the Modi government is dependent on AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s support,” he said.

Reddy said the people of Telangana gave eight Lok Sabha seats to the BJP, helping it amass the numbers to form the government. “But in return the State received nothing. We asked for funds for the Musi River Front development and revival of the Information Technology Investment Region,” he said.

Stating that the Government will discuss the issue in the ongoing Assembly session, he said he would have the issue raised in Parliament too.

Appealing to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to make amends to the Budget and allocate funds to projects like Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Irrigation Project, Bayyaram Steel factory, and Railway Coach Factory that were promised under the State bifurcation Act.

Southern alliance

The Chief Minister said he would speak to his counterparts in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala to discuss the discrimination that the Centre was showing towards the region.

 “We appeal to the Centre not to create a situation that might lead to a movement in the region,” he cautioned.

“For every rupee that Telangana contributes to the Centre, it gets only 43 paise back. While Bihar gets Rs 7 and Uttar Pradesh Rs 6 for every rupee that they contribute respectively,” he pointed out.

BRS response

Bharat Rashra Samithi Working President K T Rama Rao too expressed his disappointment over the nonallocation of funds to the State. 

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