Hyderabad, August 07: Reiterating that the State Government will continue to give top priority to welfare and irrigation sectors, Finance
Minister Konijeti Rosaiah today winded up his budget reply seeking approval to the proposals putforth in the budget for 2009-10. The budget debate concluded in the absence of TDP, TRS, CPI and CPM members who were suspended (on the controversial Obulapuram mining issue) from the House for the day.
About Rs.10,000 per minute was being wasted in the Assembly because of Opposition parties obstructing House proceedings, he remarked.
Amidst slogan-shouting by the Opposition members on mining issue, Rosaiah went ahead with his budget reply which was inconclusive yesterday. He claimed that the Rajasekhara Reddy Government had not imposed any new taxes nor hiked bus or power tariff to burden the people in the last five years period. Steps have been taken not to hike the tariff even for the next five years.
Besides, there were lot of employment opportunities available in the State under schemes like Rajiv Udyogasri etc., he claimed.
Referring to Opposition parties (PRP, MIM, BJP and LSP) demands, clarifications and remarks on various subjects relating to the budget, the minister ruled out allocation of funds to each of the MLA under the ACDP (Assembly Constituency Development Programme). He, however, assured to provide them funds only after improvement in State’s finances. As for power subsidy burden on the exchequer, he exuded confidence of getting additional resources (from the Centre) to fill the gaps. He compared the present Government’s performance with the previous Chandrababu Naidu Government in respect of employment, welfare, agriculture and other sectors. “I am not ready to say that a solution will be provided to everything in the budget,’’ he noted.
With regard to price rise of essential commodities, he asserted that necessary directions were issued to the districts collectors and officials concerned to check price rise.
Except for market intervention, it was not possible for the Government to take up the business to check price rise of commodities like fine rice, red gram etc., he added.
On this occasion, the Finance Minister brushed aside the criticism that the Government has intended to increase its revenue through promotion of liquor consumption.
In reality, the excise revenue has increased during the last few years due to arrest of illegal liquor supply in the State, he claimed.
Seeking clarifications, PRP leader K Chiranjeevi demanded the Government to play an effective role towards stabilising prices of essential commodities.
He stressed the need of removal of belt shops, effective implementation of mid-day meal scheme, filling of backlog posts etc.
Akbaruddin Owaisi (MIM) urged the Government to compare its performance with other progressive states like Punjab, Maharashtra etc., and not with `dismal’ performance of previous TDP government. He wanted the Government to provide `Solar energy’ towards free power supply to farming sector and implementation of MMTS phase-II.
G Kishan Reddy (BJP) demanded the Government to allocate Rs.2 crore to each MLA for development of constituencies concerned.
He stressed the need of more budgetary allocations to uplift artisans and other backward classes.
Jayaprakash Narayan (LSP) urged the Government to focus more on reducing transmission losses in power sector, provision of gas grids on par with Gujarat state, funds allocation to local bodies, vaccinnation to prevent diseases like typhoid etc. He apprehended that the budget allocated towards power subsidy would rise upto Rs.15,000 crore and increase in expenditure of about Rs.5,000 crore under Aarogyasri in next five years period.
–Agencies–