Agriculture Crisis in Telangana - Comptroller and Auditor General Report 2014-15 - Tabled in Telangana State Assembly

In an embarrassing remark on the functioning of state leadership, the Comptroller and Auditor General in its report for 2014-15 was tabled in the State Assembly, which has observed that there is an evidence of unrealistic budgetary assumptions and weaknesses in expenditure monitoring and control. The entire Supplementary provision of Rs 5,359 crore proved unnecessary as the actual expenditure Rs 64,097 crore incurred was less than the original budget provision of Rs 1,01,323 crore. The report also further stated that the unrealistic budgetary allocations resulting in substantial savings, unnecessary Supplementary grants, expenditure incurred without provision and excess re-appropriations resulting in excess provision are indication of poor budget management.

Recently, the Department of Information and Public Relations of Telangana government has published two page advertorial in daily newspapers highlighting Mission Kakatiya programme, which was already launched in 2014, aims to increase agriculture based income for small and marginal farmers, by accelerating the development of minor irrigation infrastructure. It was stated in the advertorial that under the Mission Kakatiya program more that 45000 tanks and many lakes will be restored in Telangana region and it will have huge bearing on generation of rural employment, poverty reduction and agricultural growth. Further, it was also mentioned that Rs. 26,657 crore budget has been allotted for the year 2016-17.)

On contrary the Comptroller and Auditor General, which has assessed the implementation of the irrigation projects in Telangana state, has exposed that the state government has not disclosed the financial results of any of its irrigation projects despite having largest irrigation projects in India. It has further mentioned, “Several policy initiatives taken up by Government were either unfulfilled or were partially executed, primarily due to non-approval of scheme guidelines/modalities, non-commencement of works for want of administrative sanction and poor project implementation, apart from non-release of budget.”

The Comptroller and Auditor General observation clearly reflects the haphazard vision of the state leadership and its administrative failures in managing the emerging agrarian crisis in the state. Handling of irrigation projects today stand as a monument for faulty and mindless planning.

In other instance, the autocratic approach and dictatorial tendency towards farmers by the Telangana Government has clearly reflected in its affidavit filed before high of court of Hyderabad, which stated that due to lavish life style, and spending huge amount of money on marriages and children’s education are among the reasons for farmers’ suicide in the state.

Whereas, in the midst of financial crisis, in an absolute disgrace the Chief Minister has travelled to China on a private jet hired for Rs. 2 crore on an exchequer cost, to attend the World Economic Forum. Similarly, the chief minister has gifted himself a swanky bulletproof Mercedes Benz bus, which bleed the whole of Rs 5 crore to the exchequer.

During separate Telangana agitation, the political parties including the Telangana Rasthra Samiti, had promised to change the fortunes of the farmers, who were subjected to exploitation of their resources like water and power. However, the plight of farmers, under the current dispensation is effectively left at the mercy of the monocratic government, which remains insensitive towards agricultural sector.

While the state economy is shambles, the ruling government took a decision to increase the salary of the legislators from Rs 95,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh per month, and the chief minister’s salary has been hiked from Rs 2.44 lakh to Rs 4.21 lakh, while the ministers salary has increased from Rs 2.42 lakh to Rs 4 lakh. Interestingly the ruling party has tried to justify the hike on grounds of increased expenses and that the legislators were involved in the process of ‘nation building’.

In the current scenario, the growing agricultural crisis and its manifestations have not gone entirely unnoticed, with the state government. In past the Telangana region is known as “Rice Bowl of India” and today the agriculture sector in this region is in advanced stage of crisis and the causes of this crisis are manifold and they are predominantly related to the mal governance and feudal practice of the state.