Hyderabad: Deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka expressed his disappointment, alleging that the central govt failed to allocate crucial funds to Telangana in the latest budget and termed the oversight disgraceful.Speaking to reporters at Praja Bhavan, he voiced his concern over central govt’s indifference to multiple funding requests that were made in good faith. He said the Congress govt had sought an increase in the fiscal deficit limit to 4%, noting that while the central govt raised its own limit to 4.3%, it did not extend the same opportunity to the states.
He said that the budget outlined an allocation of 40,000 crore for the electronics sector, but lamented that Hyderabad — recognised as a vibrant hub for electronics innovation — had been glaringly overlooked.Bhatti also highlighted the city’s significant contributions to the pharmaceutical industry, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, when Hyderabad emerged as a critical player in the global export of essential medicines. Despite these achievements, the state failed to receive due prioritisation in terms of funding for the pharmaceutical sector. The deputy CM also criticised the recent decision to relocate the Hyderabad-centric orange economy to Mumbai, describing it as yet another instance of unfair treatment. He also pointed to the inequity faced by Telangana in the realm of sports.In his remarks, he underscored Telangana’s strong potential in the burgeoning semiconductor industry, emphasising that repeated appeals had been made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allocate at least one such industry to the state. “Regrettably, despite these persistent requests, the central govt has continued to sideline Telangana in the semiconductor sector,” he said.Bhatti observed that the people of Telangana were becoming increasingly aware of the injustices embedded in the budgetary allocations and that he would urge the MPs from Telangana to raise these issues in Parliament. Calling for a united front beyond party politics, he criticised the central govt’s failure to provide the essential resources required for economic growth and development in Telangana.
