Taking exception to ruling TRS leaders' criticism against Congress rule in undivided Andhra Pradesh, Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Assembly, K Jana Reddy today said it is not fair to say that nothing has been achieved when his party was in power.
Speaking on the Budget, Reddy, who had been a minister for long in undivided AP till 2014, reeled out figures to highlight the progress achieved in Telangana.
"We have achieved a lot for the development of this region even in undivided state. I can give some examples in per capita income, poverty eradication and GSDP growth," Jana Reddy said.
The GSDP in Telangana during the 10 years of Congress rule from 2004-14 was higher than the national average and also Gujarat, he said. It was 10.16 per cent in Telangana and 9.76 per cent in Gujarat.
Similarly, per capita income grew and poverty levels came down, he said.
Production of foodgrains in Telangana was 14.59 lakh tonnes in 1956-57 and it was 107 lakh tonnes in 2013-14, while it was 110 lakh tonnes in Seemandhra, he said. Power production also rose manifold.
A number of Central institutions and PSUs, including BHEL, NMDC, BDL, HMT, BEL, MIDHANI (Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd), and Ordnance factory, have been set up in Hyderabad and its suburbs. The establishment of such institutions, coupled with their ancillary units, led to industrial progress, he said.
The Congress' rule also contributed to growth in the IT sector in Hyderabad, Reddy said.
The erstwhile Congress government gave Telangana in a "golden plate" to the TRS, he urged the ruling party to take his party's cooperation instead of criticism.
On the 2016-17 budget presented on Monday last, Reddy alleged that the figures presented a different picture than the reality.
Earlier, during Question Hour, Minister for Law A Indrakaran Reddy said the state government is pursuing the division of High Court here between Telangana and AP with the Centre.
The state government made representations to Union Ministers, and the TRS MPs had raised the issue in Parliament as well, he said.
