With a total expenditure of Rs 3.04 lakh crore, the Telangana Budget Wednesday focused mainly on welfare, even as the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GSDP) growth for the financial year 2024-25 was at 10.1 percent when compared to the national GDP growth rate of 9.9 percent. The per capita income growth rate in the state was at 9.6 percent, for the same period, when compared to the country’s per capita income growth rate of 8.8 percent.
The state’s Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka presented the 2025-06 budget with a revenue expenditure of Rs 2.26 lakh crore and capital expenditure of Rs 36,504 crore. The finance minister said that this was the first time for the budget to cross Rs 3 lakh crore mark. He said: “Clearly Telangana’s per capita income is higher by 1.8 times i.e., Rs 1,74,172. Reflecting the state’s strong economic progress”.
This was the finance minister’s third Budget presentation.
The chunk of the budget was proposed to be spent on welfare departments in the state, including the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes departments. In total, these departments were allocated Rs 72,397 crore. Of this, Rs 40,232 crore was allocated to SC Welfare, followed by Rs 17,169 crore to ST Welfare while the BC Welfare department was allocated Rs 11,405 crore and the Minorities welfare department was allocated Rs 3,591 crore.
Vikramarka said: “In the 2025-26 financial year, we are not only allocating the required budget but also releasing the funds pending from 2023-24. Respecting the laws made for the SC/ST communities and ensuring they receive their rightful funds is a testament to our government’s genuine commitment to their welfare.”
The state’s budget was also pushed for welfare schemes focusing on Panchayat Raj and Rural Development and Agriculture departments: Rs 31,605 crore was allocated to Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department, Rs 24,439 crore to Agriculture, Rs 23,373 crore for Irrigation, Rs 23,108 crore for Education, Rs 21,221 crore for Energy, and Rs 17,677 crore for Municipal Administration and Rs 12,393 crore towards the Health and Family Welfare department. Vikramarka said: “Government initiatives such as free electricity, Rythu Bharosa, farm loan waivers, and investments in irrigation projects have boosted farmers’ confidence and strengthened the agricultural sector…Standing by our commitment to farmers’ welfare, our government has waived farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh. So far, Rs 20,616.89 crore worth of loans have been waived for 25.35 lakh farmers. This decisive action has cleared the loans of farmers, enabling them to access new agricultural loans with ease.”
The government has also allocated Rs 5,907 crore to roads and buildings department and Rs 5,734 crore towards Civil Supplies department. The government has proposed to spend Rs 3,527 crore towards the industries department. “To promote inclusive industrial growth, the government has decided to allocate 5 percent of plots in new industrial parks to women entrepreneurs and 15 percent to SC/ST entrepreneurs. Additionally, SC/ST entrepreneurs will receive a land cost subsidy of up to 50%, subject to a maximum limit of Rs 50 lakh, to encourage their participation in the industrial sector,” Vikramarka said.
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