THE vote-on-account presented by the Telangana chief minister on February 15 does not lay down any definite path for the development of the state, the CPI(M) has said. The chief minister should have formed the cabinet and introduced a full budget in February itself. But in view of the parliamentary election and taking into consideration the interim budget placed by the central government, the chief minister, also holding the finance portfolio, presented the vote-on-account. The budget does not offer anything for the welfare of children, women, disabled, dalits, tribals and other backward classes. The CPI(M) Telangana state committee has requested the government to amend the budget, so that there is benefit to all sectors.

For agriculture sector, the government has proposed Rs 2,000 crore for additional help of Rythu Bandhu and Rs 6,000 crore for waiver of loans of farmers under Rs 1 lakh. From 2014 to 2019, the government allocated Rs 56,980 crore for welfare of Scheduled Castes, but spent only Rs 25,000 crore. Rs 33,685 crore was allocated for the welfare of tribals, but the government spent Rs 12,000 crore only. The government has failed to drag people out of poverty. The state’s per capita income is said to have increased to Rs 1,75,534, but the number of those below poverty line is also increasing.

New schemes have been started in the health sector, but there are no measures to improve district hospitals. In government departments, contractual and outsourced workers have not been declared as permanent. The promise of filling up one lakh vacant posts has not been fulfilled in this budget. There is no measure to strengthen government education sector. There is no effort to enhance the wages of agricultural labourers.

PROTESTS AGAINST GOVT

A protest pogramme by an MBC Society, Viswakarma Societies, and BC sub-plan Sadhana Committee turned into a fiasco. On February 25, a group of carpenters and craftsmen, who went in a rally from Sundarayya Vignana Kendram to the assembly, were arrested by police. Those coming to Hyderabad for the rally from different districts were stopped outside the city and arrested. CPI(M) leader Cherupally Seetharamulu said that the TRS government was trying to suppress the agitations with use of force. They demanded withdrawal of a government order that is preventing artisans to trade their crafts. MBC general secretary P Asayya and other leaders participated in the agitation.

State Panchayat Employees and Workers’ Union (CITU) organised a Mahadharna near Indira Park. They warned the government that if promises are not fulfilled, the agitation will be intensified. The chief minister had promised a pay of Rs 8,500 to the workers but forgot it after coming to power. CITU state general secretary M Saibabu said the government is raising the allowances of sarpanches, ward-members, MLAs and ministers, but ignoring the demands of the employees who have been demanding wage hike for the past 10 years.