The plan to raise Rs 20,287 crore from tax and non-tax revenue sources next year is a matter of serious concern because Telangana is already reeling under severe taxation, MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi has said in the Assembly.
“People are already suffering due to price-rise. The Centre has hiked service tax from the upcoming financial year. People cannot bear the additional burden,” he said during debate on the budget in the Assembly on Monday.
He also sought an assurance from the finance minister that there would be no pre- or post-budget charges and hikes in taxes and service charges. Noting that there was a mounting public debt, Owaisi said Telangana had a share of ` 61,711 crore out of the bifurcated debt of ` 1,48,060 crore.
“Akbaruddin said that both Telangana and AP had presented ambitious budgets of over ` 1 lakh crore each for 2014-15 and 2015-16.