Telangana Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu met Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman, requesting an additional Rs 5,000 crore under the SASCI scheme for state development, citing fiscal pressures and highlighting major education sector investments.
Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi and discussed several key issues relating to the State's development, large-scale investments in the education sector, capital expenditure, and expansion of infrastructure.
Telangana Seeks Additional Rs 5,000 Crore Under SASCI
According to a press release, during the meeting, the Deputy Chief Minister requested the Union Finance Minister to sanction an additional Rs.5,000 crore to Telangana under the "Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI)." He expressed gratitude on behalf of the Government of Telangana to the Government of India for extending 50-year interest-free loans to States under the scheme.
Referring to the Rs.4,208 crore already sanctioned to Telangana during the financial year 2025-26, he explained that additional financial support was essential for sustaining the State's ongoing developmental and welfare programmes, the press release stated.
The Deputy Chief Minister stated that although Telangana is one of the youngest States in the country and is progressing rapidly on the development front, the State is facing fiscal pressure due to debt servicing commitments arising from borrowings raised through various Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) between 2014 and 2023.
Rs 30,000 Crore Investment Plan for Education Sector
He particularly explained the Government's commitment towards providing world-class education to students through the "Young India Integrated Residential Schools (YIIRS)" initiative. He informed the Union Finance Minister that the State is also focusing on establishing new medical colleges across districts, strengthening rural healthcare services, and improving educational infrastructure to ensure inclusive and sustainable development.
Deputy Chief Minister also submitted another representation regarding the State Government's major investments in the education sector. He has informed that the Government of Telangana has prepared an investment plan of Rs.30,000 crore for the transformation of the education sector, including Rs.21,000 crore for the construction of 105 Young India Integrated Residential Schools campuses and another Rs 9,000 crore towards strengthening Government Junior Colleges, Degree Colleges, Technical and Vocational Institutions, and digital infrastructure.
Request for FRBM Limit Exemption
In this context, he thanked the Government of India for the approval accorded by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) to two externally aided projects -- the Young India Integrated Residential Schools Project with an outlay of Rs.4,049.11 crore under the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Telangana Education Infrastructure Upgradation Mission Project with an outlay of Rs.4,903.44 crore under the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The Deputy Chief Minister requested that the loans related to these two projects be exempted from the State's FRBM limits.
He stated that these are not routine expenditures, but long-term capital investments aimed at human resource development and educational empowerment, particularly for SC, ST, BC, and Minority communities. He further stated that Telangana's investments in education and infrastructure would play a significant role in achieving the national vision of "Viksit Bharat-2047" and expressed hope that adequate support from the Central Government would further accelerate the State's growth and development.
According to the release, Finance Principal Secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania and Planning Department Secretary Gaurav Uppal accompanied the Deputy Chief Minister during the meeting. (ANI)
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