Telangana: TRS, BJP in war of words over funds from Centre

The ruling TRS and opposition BJP in Telangana were engaged in a war of words on Tuesday after the TRS Working President and minister K T Rama Rao threw a challenge at state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar over funds given by Centre to the state. "... they say all the money is given by the Centre but state is showing it off. I would like to ask that Member of Parliament Bandi Sanjay ji, I will quit my state minister's post and come out if what I am saying is wrong. Would you quit as MP if what you are saying is wrong? You accept this challenge if you have courage," Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said addressing a public meeting in Gadwal district.

While the state has paid Rs 2.72 lakh crore to the Centre towards taxes during the last six-and-half years, what it received was Rs 1.42 lakh crore, he said. Asked about the comments, Sanjay Kumar, who has undertaken a state-wide 'padayatra', said the Centre has increased the allocation to the state from 32 per cent during the UPA regime to 41 per cent now.

The Centre tries to provide help during disasters and others, he told reporters in Medak district on Tuesday evening. He cited the examples of vaccines and relief measures announced by Centre during the Covid-19 crisis. He alleged that the TRS government took an indifferent attitude towards the workers of state-run Road Transport Corporation (RTC).

Rama Rao should quit over the alleged rise in debt burden in the state, for allegedly not providing unemployment allowance as promised and not implementing farm loan waiver, among others, said Sanjay Kumar, a Lok Sabha member. Sanjay Kumar launched his 'Praja Sangrama Yatra' ('padayatra') on August 28 at the Bhagya Lakshmi at Charminar here.

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