Telangana Budget session to begin on March 12

Hyderabad, Mar 11 (PTI) Amid sharp criticism between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS and BJP over a host of issues, the budget session of the Telangana Legislative Assembly will begin on Wednesday.

The session will commence with an address by Governor Jishnu Dev Varma to the joint sitting of the Assembly and Legislative Council.

The agenda and duration of the session will be decided in a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC).

While the Assembly will have a holiday on March 14 for the Holi festival, the budget is likely to be presented on March 19, sources said.

The government is expected to introduce legislation on SC categorisation and increase reservations for backward classes from 23 per cent to 42 per cent.

At a meeting on March 6, the state cabinet approved a draft bill to increase quotas for backward classes to 42 per cent, fulfilling an election promise of the Congress.

The Congress government recently conducted a caste survey—one of the poll promises of party leader Rahul Gandhi— to facilitate the quota increase for BCs.

The government has already approved the recommendations of a judicial commission it appointed for the implementation of SC categorisation.

The session is expected to witness heated debates on various issues, as the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS and BJP have been at loggerheads in recent times.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has accused Union Minister and state BJP president G Kishan Reddy of creating hurdles in securing approvals and funds from the Centre for several state government projects, including the expansion of Hyderabad Metro Rail, Musi River redevelopment, and the Regional Ring Road (RRR) in the city. Kishan Reddy, however, dismissed the allegations.

Adopting an aggressive stance, the main opposition BRS has attacked the Congress government for alleged failures on multiple fronts.

The BRS has accused the Congress of "failing to implement its promises effectively", including crop loan waivers and investment support for farmers, as well as protecting the state's interests in Krishna River water-sharing disputes.

While hitting back at the BRS, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has often criticised BRS president and opposition leader K Chandrasekhar Rao for not attending Assembly sessions since the Congress assumed office in December 2023.

KCR held a meeting with BRS MLAs and MLCs on Tuesday to finalise the party's strategy for the session.

BRS working president K T Rama Rao on Monday indicated that KCR would attend the budget session. PTI SJR SSK SSK KH