BRS Left Telangana with ₹8.21 Lakh Crore Debt, Claims Bhatti Vikramarka; Challenges Harish Rao and KTR to Deny Figures

Hyderabad: Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka on Friday alleged that the previous BRS government left Telangana with a total debt of ₹8,21,651 crore during its 10-year rule. Speaking at a press conference at the Secretariat, Bhatti Vikramarka criticised BRS leaders T. Harish Rao and K. T. Rama Rao for making what he described as baseless allegations about the state’s financial condition and challenged them to deny the debt figures.

Bhatti Vikramarka Alleges Telangana Was Left in a Debt Trap

Addressing the media at the Secretariat, Bhatti Vikramarka, accompanied by Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Adluri Laxman Kumar, accused the previous BRS government of pushing Telangana into a debt trap during its decade in power.

He claimed that the total debt incurred during the BRS government’s tenure amounted to ₹8,21,651 crore, challenging the opposition to deny the figures.

Questions Raised Over Borrowings

Bhatti Vikramarka questioned Harish Rao’s claim that the BRS government had borrowed only ₹3 lakh crore.

He asked why such a huge amount had to be repaid through Reserve Bank transactions if the BRS claim was correct.

The Deputy Chief Minister further alleged that the previous government borrowed from corporate banks at interest rates ranging from 10% to 10.5%, placing a heavy financial burden on the state.

Debt Restructuring Reduced Repayment Burden

According to Bhatti Vikramarka, the present government has undertaken debt restructuring.

He said the repayment burden for the period 2025–26 to 2031–32 has been reduced from ₹34,058 crore to ₹11,915 crore, resulting in estimated savings of ₹22,142 crore for the state.

Allegations Over Hidden Liabilities

The Deputy Chief Minister alleged that the previous government concealed several liabilities by raising loans through corporations for projects including:

• Kaleshwaram Project
• Mission Bhagiratha

He said it had been claimed at the time that the loans would be repaid by farmers or through tax revenues.

However, Bhatti Vikramarka argued that the responsibility for repaying both the principal and interest ultimately falls on the state government using taxpayers’ money.

He accused the previous administration of misleading the public by not reflecting these liabilities as government debt.

White Paper and Loan Repayment

Bhatti Vikramarka recalled that soon after assuming office, the present government released a White Paper on the state’s finances in the Assembly.

He said that within two and a half years, the current government had repaid ₹2,08,681 crore, including both principal and interest, on loans taken by the previous government.

Rejects Singareni Allegations

The Deputy Chief Minister also criticised what he described as false propaganda by opposition leaders against Singareni Collieries Company Limited.

He asked:

“During the tenure of BRS government, did they secure even a single new coal block for Singareni? Did they at least obtain new mining blocks to replace those that had been exhausted and closed?”

Bhatti Vikramarka also dismissed the BRS allegation that 40 lakh tonnes of coal had disappeared from Singareni, calling the allegation completely baseless.

He said Singareni’s monitoring systems are extremely robust and claimed that not even one kilogram of coal can leave the mines illegally.

Remarks on Thermal Power Projects

Bhatti Vikramarka alleged that the previous BRS government significantly expanded the:

• Bhadradri Thermal Power Project
• Yadadri Thermal Power Project

However, he claimed it failed to secure coal mines needed to supply these projects.

He questioned why the previous government did not participate in the Centre’s coal block auctions to obtain mines for Singareni, adding that if Singareni had acquired those coal blocks, the royalty revenue would have belonged to Telangana.

Welfare Hostel and Gurukul Tender Allegations

The Deputy Chief Minister also criticised opposition leaders for allegedly spreading misinformation about welfare hostels and government welfare schemes.

He further stated that although the value of procurement tenders for Gurukul institutions was ₹1,142 crore, the opposition had initially alleged corruption worth ₹2,000 crore and later increased the allegation to ₹3,000 crore, accusing them of making inconsistent and baseless claims.

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka has alleged that the previous BRS government left Telangana with a debt of ₹8,21,651 crore, challenged Harish Rao and K.T. Rama Rao to deny the figures, and defended the present government’s debt restructuring measures. He also rejected allegations regarding Singareni, criticised the previous government’s handling of coal blocks and thermal power projects, and accused the opposition of making inconsistent claims over Gurukul procurement tenders and welfare schemes.

Follow MunsifNews24x7 for latest updates.