Telangana has requested an additional special financial aid of Rs 5,000 crore from the Central government under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI). Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu raised this request with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during a meeting in New Delhi. Vikramarka discussed various crucial issues related to the state’s development, educational infrastructure, and capital expenditure with Sitharaman.
The Deputy Chief Minister highlighted the significant investments and welfare programs undertaken by the Telangana government in areas such as education, healthcare, rural infrastructure, and human resource development. He specifically sought an exemption from Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) limits for Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) approved by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) concerning the education sector, including the Young India Integrated Residential Schools (YIIRS).
In a previous meeting with Sitharaman in September last year, Vikramarka had requested special financial assistance and FRBM exemption for the Rs 30,000 crore Young India Integrated Residential Schools program in the state. He emphasized that this initiative would revolutionize education and nutrition for numerous children, uplift marginalized communities, and enhance India’s demographic dividend. The delegation led by Vikramarka, along with Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, urged the Finance Minister to grant FRBM exemption for this substantial long-term human capital investment.
