Departments told to send Budget proposals

Telangana state’s finance department has directed all departments to send proposals for new schemes based on the recent announcements made by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao so that they can be included in the 2018-19 Budget.

During his meetings with several sections of people at Pragati Bhavan in the last 10 months, Mr Rao has announced various schemes which will have huge financial implications.

During a meeting with dairy farmers, Mr Rao announced the Kshera Viplavam (Milk revolution) scheme, under which the state government would provide 50 per cent of the cost of a buffalo for a dairy farmer, going up to 75 per cent if the dairy farmer was of the Scheduled Caste or Tribe community. This means the state government will have to fork out between `50,000 and `85,000 to each dairy farmer. There are about 3 lakh dairy farmers in Telangana.

The investment subsidy scheme for farmers at the rate of `4,000 per acre will also be included in the budget. For the kharif season, this amounts to `6,500 crore.

Mr Rao has also announced financial assistance to Nayi Brahmins to set up hair-cutting salons. He said each one will be given `1 lakh. But there is no data with the government on how many Nayi Brahmins are in need of financial assistance.

The 24x7 free power to the agriculture sector also has to be budgeted, and in addition funds must be allotted for power consumption by lift irrigation projects.