Deputy CM Bhatti Asks BRS to Deny Rs 8.21 Lakh Crore Debt Burden on Telangana

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Friday launched a strong attack on the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, alleging that it left the state burdened with liabilities exceeding Rs 8.21 lakh crore and challenging opposition leaders to deny the figures placed before the public through the government's White Paper.

Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad, Bhatti said Telangana's debt had risen sharply during the BRS regime. According to the White Paper, the state's total debt stood at Rs 90,161 crore when Telangana was formed on June 2, 2014. By December 1, 2023, the debt had increased to Rs 6,71,757 crore , he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister asserted that the actual financial burden was even higher when liabilities outside regular budget borrowings were considered. He explained that loans raised through various government corporations, pending dues to employees, and payments owed to power distribution companies together accounted for an additional Rs 1,49,894 crore . Including these liabilities, the total burden on the state had reached Rs 8,21,651 crore , he said, asking whether the BRS could categorically deny these figures.

Bhatti alleged that the state's financial condition deteriorated during the tenure of former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) and demanded that the BRS leadership explain the debt situation to the people. He also criticised BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao and former minister T. Harish Rao , saying they continued to level allegations against the Congress government while avoiding questions about the liabilities accumulated during their administration.

Highlighting the steps taken by the present government, Bhatti said the Congress administration had paid Rs 2.08 lakh crore towards principal and interest on loans raised during the previous regime over the last 30 months. He alleged that several borrowings had been contracted at interest rates of 10 per cent or more , placing an additional burden on the state's finances.

To reduce fiscal pressure, the government undertook a debt restructuring exercise , he said. As a result, liabilities amounting to Rs 34,058 crore , which were due for repayment by 2031-32, had been brought down to Rs 11,915 crore , easing future repayment obligations.

Responding to BRS allegations regarding the disappearance of 40 lakh tonnes of coal from Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) , Bhatti said the government had ordered an inquiry and that the company's vigilance director would conduct the investigation. He noted that officials had informed him that the existing geo-fencing system made it virtually impossible for coal to be transported without detection.

The Deputy Chief Minister further alleged that despite being in power for a decade, the BRS government had failed to secure even a single new coal block for Singareni. His remarks come amid an intensifying political confrontation between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS over debt, governance and corruption allegations, with both sides continuing to trade charges in public forums and political events across the state.