Lion's share of Telangana's revenue goes toward salary bill, debt servicing: CM Revanth Reddy

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday claimed that the lion's share of the state's revenue is spent every month on salaries, pensions, and servicing the huge debt incurred during the previous BRS regime, making it challenging to allocate funds for welfare programmes.

Speaking at an event where he handed over appointment letters to newly recruited Junior Lecturers, Reddy alleged that former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had left the state's financial situation in a dire state, comparing it to "cancer."

Using a Hyderabadi expression, he described the financial crisis as "upar sherwani, andar pareshani" (a sherwani on the outside but trouble within).

Reddy stated that while the state government generates Rs 18,000 crore to Rs 18,500 crore in revenue every month, Rs 6,500 crore is allocated to salaries and pensions for government employees.

Another Rs 6,500 crore is used to service the debt incurred during the BRS regime, leaving the government with only Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 5,500 crore, he said.

There are around 30 government welfare schemes that require funding every month, in addition to the financial demands of various development projects, he added.

The government is managing the situation through staggered payments to different schemes and programmes, Reddy said.

Further, the chief minister noted that whenever he speaks about the state's financial situation, he is criticised for portraying the economy in a "negative" light.

"How long should it be hidden? When cancer is worsening, how long should I keep saying that everything is fine and that I have a six-pack? Financially, he (KCR) has handed over a cancer-stricken state," Reddy alleged.

While he is working to address the crisis and ensure Telangana's progress, KCR and his party continue to accuse him of failure, despite him being in office for just over a year, Reddy claimed.

Referring to BRS working president K T Rama Rao's remarks that Revanth Reddy is "not equal in stature to KCR", the CM said that "it is the posts and positions that hold stature".

Reddy also quoted some Congress MLAs as saying that "the man with stature (KCR) is now on a stretcher, and if he continues with the same attitude, they will later send him to the mortuary".

Taking exception to Reddy's comments, Rama Rao alleged that the former had crossed "every limit of decency."