Telugu CMs Take Contrasting Approaches for Upcoming Budgets

The Chief Ministers of Both the Telugu States are going forward in exactly different directions when it comes to the Welfare Schemes. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao instructed the Officials to go for a realistic Budget and announce no new Schemes this time as well in the wake of Economic slowdown.

Only one new scheme named KCR Apadhbandhu which gives Ambulances to the youth and Sewing machines to 10,000 BC Women is incorporated in the Budget. The Budget will also have the expenditures equal to the Incomes. In a complete contrast, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Government in Andhra Pradesh is on a new Schemes announcement spree.

As a result, the State Government will put up an unrealistic budget and has to resort to loans or cutting down beneficiaries of various schemes for cost control. Andhra Pradesh Government had made a mockery of the budget this fiscal by diverting the funds Allotted to specific purposes to various welfare schemes.

Given the Economic slowdown, this is a dangerous precedent. Moreover, Telangana finances are way better placed when compared to Andhra Pradesh finances. Going by the recent Union Budget, the devolution of funds and share in Central Taxes are also coming down for the next fiscal. So, both the State Government have to be precarious in preparing their Budgets and the allocations. Both the Telugu States will put up their budgets in March.