The Telangana CM alleged that the BJP-led union government's Strong Centre - Weak States approach was eroding the federal spirit in the country.
Accusing the union government of discriminating against Telangana in all fronts, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao alleged that the BJP-led union government's "Strong Centre - Weak States" approach was eroding the constitutional and federal spirit in the country.
As part of the Telangana Formation Day celebrations, Rao hoisted the national flag at Public Gardens today, and received a guard of honour from the police personnel.
Addressing the program then, KCR criticised the Centre for its "non-cooperation with and injustice to Telangana", and also demanded decentralisation of powers to the State.
Alleging that the BJP government was conspiring to wreck the financial conditions of the States, KCR said that the Centre's attitude had become a stumbling block for States like Telangana, even though they maintained financial discipline by managing loans and investment expenditure within the FRBM limits.
Despite several obstacles and a deadly pandemic situation, Telangana had made rapid strides in development, KCR claimed. With strict financial prudence and perfect planning, the State could increase its revenues due to an average of 17.24% annual economic growth, and had become number one in growth in the country, the CM said.
However, the union government was conspiring to weaken the States financially, he said. For example, it was collecting taxes in the form of cesses to evade the constitutionally due share of the States from the taxes levied by the Centre, he claimed.
"The Centre should immediately lift the economic sanctions imposed on the States and stop any further violation of the rights of the States," Rao said.
In his about one-hour speech, the Chief Minister also spoke about the growth of Telangana in the past eight years, saying that the State has registered unimaginable victories that no other State in the country could in 75 years of the nation's history.
He said that when Telangana was formed in 2014, the State's GSDP was Rs 5,05,849 crore, and by 2021-2022 it had reached Rs 11,54,860 crore, the Chief Minister claimed.
The State had also set a record of sorts in the increase of the per capita income, KCR said.
"In 2014-2015, the State's per capita income was Rs 1,24,104, and by 2021-2022 it had risen to Rs 2,78,833. This is a whopping 86% above the national average of Rs 1,49,848. And the gap continues to rise each day," the CM claimed.
The State government was also ensuring that every penny it collected was spent in a useful manner, and incurring capital expenditure in a planned manner, he said.
The CM added that Telangana had become a role model to the country in economic development, increase in per capita Income, supply of 24-hour free and quality power to all sectors, creation of additional irrigation and supply of drinking water, welfare schemes, and growth in IT and all other industrial sectors.
Later, KCR felicitated Kinnera Metla artist Padmasri Darshanam Mogulaiah and presented a cheque of Rs 1 crore to him.
Boxer Nikhat Zareen and shooter Esha Singh were also felicitated and presented Rs 2 crore each.
Earlier, KCR paid tributes to the Telangana martyrs at Gun Park.