TL-ASSEMBLY-RAO

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Sunday said the state achieved major growth

in the last four-and-half years though it had an "unfavourable government" headed by the BJP at the Centre.

"Though there is an unfavourable government at the Centre.. Why I have to say this, though I am a responsible

Chief Minister, I have to say this.. The BJP government is there at the Centre.. Did not give

even a single rupee extra to us. We gave 500 representations (to the Centre)," he claimed.

The NITI Ayog recommended to the Centre to give Rs 24,000 crore to the Mission Kakatiya (rejuvenation of tanks) and

Mission Bhagiradha (drinking water supply scheme), but the central government did not give "even Rs 24," he said.

"Except devolution (of) funds as (state's) share in Central taxes as per the Constitution, an additional rupee did

not come. That means, we had an unfavourable government at the

Centre during the last four-and-half years. Not a favourable government.. Still we achieved this growth," he said in the

Assembly responding to the motion of thanks to Governor's address (to the joint session of legislature).

Claiming that Telangana was number one in the country in terms of growth, he said, "We said in Governor's speech

yesterday. Consistently for four years, our growth was 17.17 per cent.

Fifth year is going on now. Now, our growth as per own resources is 29.93 per cent."

The state is at the top in GST collections also, he added.

On Telangana opting out of the NDA government's 'Ayushman Bharat' health scheme, Rao said the 'Arogya Sri'

scheme being implemented since undivided Andhra Pradesh days has been a much better one.

"Prime Minister ji and I had discussed it twice or thrice .. Whenever I go, he gives me a paper..

the first sentence is Telangana did not join Ayushman Bharat scheme.. They asked all states to join. We did not

join because, there is a disadvantage," he said. The 'Arogya Sri' scheme introduced by late Y S

Rajasekhara Reddy when he was the Chief Minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh, was "many times better than the Ayushman

Bharat introduced by the Centre," he said. Touching upon a number of issues, the TRS leader also

said the Centre has substantially sanctioned development of national highways in the state.

Noting that his government would fulfill all the promises made by TRS during the assembly polls in letter and

spirit, Rao said the farm loan waiver would be implemented and modalities were being worked out.

On double bedroom housing scheme for the poor, he said it was being implemented in a transparent manner.

The government would provide financial assistance for construction of house for those who owned house sites, he

said. Referring to Congress MLA Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy's

comments on implementation of various welfare schemes, Rao said the government would 100 per cent implement what it

promised. All the benefits promised to people such as hike in

social security pensions would be implemented from the next financial year.

During the debate on motion of thanks to Governor's address, AIMIM MLA Ahmed Bin Abdullah Balala took exception to

the attack on his party during recent poll campaign by leaders of Congress and BJP.

He appealed to the government on the proposed Islamic Centre and certain special development funds.

When BJP MLA T Raja Singh sought know about the central share in the 'KCR kit' scheme, Rao in his reply said it was

being implemented with state funds alone. The House was adjourned sine die after the conclusion of

the debate. Meanwhile, condemning the Chief Minsiter's remarks that

there has been an unfavourable government at the Centre, state BJP Chief K Laxman said the NDA government provided funds to

the state like no other government did. "KCR was a minister in the UPA government.. The 13th

Finance Commission alloted Rs 16,000 crore to Telangana region during the 10 years of UPA regime.. is it not true that the

Narendra Modi government allocated Rs 1.15 lakh crore?" Laxman asked in a statement.