Refuting reports in a section of the media that the TRS government was not releasing funds for welfare schemes and Arogyasri, Finance Minister Eatala Rajender today said the State government was committed to welfare of the poor and downtrodden section. He said the audit wing was strengthened to check misappropriation of funds and irregularities while transferring the funds.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Saturday, the minister said the government has achieved 92% of revenue collection target in five months and in another 10 days it may touch 95%. As per previous budgetary allocations, revenue receipts were almost same as that of expenditure, he claimed. The State has earned an income of Rs 37,000 crore and the expenditure was Rs 37,634 crore; while Rs 27,000 crore were spent under Plan budget, Rs 14,000 crore under non-plan budget.
Expressing concern over irregularities, the minister said the officials concerned were instructed to take stringent steps against those were involved in the irregularities. Under Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM), the State drew Rs 7,000 crore out of Rs 15,000 crore at an interest rate of 8.1 per cent to 8.2 per cent, he said. He said the Telangana government abstained from adopting ways and means to get more funds from the Centre as that of Gujarat though other States adopted them.
Skipping a query on outsourcing employees’ agitation, the Finance Minister said funds were released for scholarships, fees reimbursement and crop loan waiver. (NSS)