Opposition slams govt. over ‘low allocation’ to education, welfare sectors

HYDERABAD

BJP Legislature Party leader Alleti Maheshwar Reddy slammed the Budget 2026-27, alleging that it failed to make adequate allocations for implementing the promises made by the Congress before the General Elections. He said the Budget was filled with ‘blatant lies’.

At the very beginning of his speech during a general discussion on the Budget in the Assembly on Tuesday, Mr. Reddy described it as a ‘cheating Budget’.

Legislative Affairs Minister D. Sridhar Babu took strong exception to the remark, terming it unparliamentary, and urged Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar to expunge the word from the records, which was considered by the Speaker.

Continuing his attack on the government, the BJPLP leader questioned the allocation of just 7% of funds to the Education Department, which he said was 2% less than what was earmarked in the 2025-26 Budget. He also criticised the government for what he called inadequate allocations to the BC Welfare Department and several other departments.

Mr. Reddy further accused the government of failing to integrate TGSRTC employees even 27 months after coming to power. “Moreover, cargo services have been handed over to a company,” he claimed, alleging that the government was attempting to privatise the corporation.

A heated exchange followed between him and members of the Treasury Benches over the issue of devolution funds and grants-in-aid from the BJP-led Centre.

Joining the debate, CPI Floor leader Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao expressed concern over rising debts and suggested the State government to consider reclaiming assigned lands that had fallen into the hands of wealthy individuals after poor beneficiaries were forced to sell them. “About 25 lakh acres were allotted to the poor, but only 2% of that land remains with them,” he claimed, arguing that reclaiming such lands would help ease the government’s financial stress.

AIMIM MLA Mohammad Majid Hussain urged the government to ensure adequate funding for minority welfare stating that minority students are suffering due to the non-release of scholarships.