The Rs. 1 lakh crore budget of Telangana government for the current financial year may be a tall order to scale given the fact that there are just two months left and the newly-allotted IAS officers to the State have not yet started booking expenditure.
The State Assembly had approved the annual budget in November with a non-plan expenditure of Rs. 51,990 crore and plan expenditure of Rs. 48,648 crore, but official sources said the expenditure was not pushed through so far, except payment of salaries and pensions. At the same time, all bills were cleared to the extent of available budget.
An important reason for the failure to book expenditure was the absence of decision making IAS officers as heads of various departments till recently. Though 53 of them have joined duties in Telangana from AP a few days ago, there was no significant change in the situation as they were yet to get acquainted with the subjects assigned to them. A senior finance official said this would be the position for the rest of the month and hoped that expenditure would pick up only in February and March when the flagship programmes of the government – Mission Kakatiya and water grid – will also start getting funds. He did not deny Chief Minister’s expectation that it would be a “carry forward budget” this year as the revenue saved on March 31 could become the opening balance for next year.
Fortunately, all the revenue earning departments in Telangana had IAS officers even before their allotment between the two States which ensured that there was no hindrance to decision making in revenue receipts. Their absence was felt only in departments that were supposed to spend money. The official said the estimated revenue surplus of the State at Rs. 301 crore as projected in the budget was maintained so far.
Though Rs. 1 lakh crore has been allotted for the current financial year, many of the departments are yet to spend from the allocated amount
