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User charges on Kaleshwaram farmers?
By: Tupaki Desk | 3 Feb 2021 6:14 AM GMT
Is Kaleshwaram project turning out to be a major millstone around the neck of Telangana? Will the cash-strapped state be pushed into a debt trap due to the rising power bills? Most likely, opine experts. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report had in the past suggested that the government has to mop up revenues for the maintenance of the project by levying user charges on the beneficiaries of Kaleshwaram project.
If that is done, the users, who are mainly farmers, will turn against the ruling party. There would be massive discontent against the government. The only alternative is to reduce the spending on welfare schemes and divert the funds to maintain Kaleshwaram. Both ways, the ruling party will end up angering and upsetting its voters. Schemes like Kalyanalakshmi and Rythu Bandhu are turning out to be huge problems for the State government. The per capita spending on sops has gone up from Rs 20,438 in 2015-16 to Rs 25, 375 by 2018-19. As a result, the state government is forced to borrow heavily. As a result, the state government is forced to pay up to 3 per cent towards loan interest.
Sources say the TRS government is in a fix these days on how to maintain Kaleshwaram. With the Central government allocating literally nothing for Kaleshwaram project in the current budget, the KCR government might be left with no option but to levy user charges on the farmers.
If that is done, the users, who are mainly farmers, will turn against the ruling party. There would be massive discontent against the government. The only alternative is to reduce the spending on welfare schemes and divert the funds to maintain Kaleshwaram. Both ways, the ruling party will end up angering and upsetting its voters. Schemes like Kalyanalakshmi and Rythu Bandhu are turning out to be huge problems for the State government. The per capita spending on sops has gone up from Rs 20,438 in 2015-16 to Rs 25, 375 by 2018-19. As a result, the state government is forced to borrow heavily. As a result, the state government is forced to pay up to 3 per cent towards loan interest.
Sources say the TRS government is in a fix these days on how to maintain Kaleshwaram. With the Central government allocating literally nothing for Kaleshwaram project in the current budget, the KCR government might be left with no option but to levy user charges on the farmers.
