Central Funds Surge 80% for Telangana Panchayats, Kishan Reddy Hits Out at BRS

Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy stated that the central government will release additional funds to strengthen gram panchayats and local bodies in Telangana . He revealed that ₹9,050 crore has been allocated this time, an 80% increase compared to previous years. Over the past decade, the central government has released more than ₹11,000 crore for gram panchayats and local bodies in Telangana , he added.

Between 2015–16 and 2019–20 , ₹5,060 crore were released, while allocations for 2020–21 to 2025–26 increased by 80% to reach ₹9,050 crore . Of this, ₹6,051 crore have already been disbursed. Following the completion of local body elections and submission of utilization certificates for the 2023–24 financial year, the first installment of ₹260 crore for 2024–25 will be released soon, Kishan Reddy said. The remaining approximately ₹2,500 crore will be gradually released based on the submission of utilization certificates .

Kishan Reddy emphasized that when grassroots democratic institutions are strengthened, responsibility and transparency increase, and that is why the central government is releasing funds to local bodies in a timely manner.

Funds Diverted Under BRS Rule

At the same time, he alleged that the previous BRS government diverted funds allocated to gram panchayats for other purposes. According to regulations, each gram panchayat must maintain a separate bank account , but funds were diverted by attaching these accounts, causing severe difficulties for many sarpanches . Some sarpanches resigned due to non-receipt of funds , and a few tragic incidents also occurred. In this context, he urged the Telangana government to fully cooperate with the central government’s efforts to develop rural infrastructure and strengthen governance at the village level .

Congress Rule Like the British: Telangana BJP Chief Ramchander Rao

Responding to remarks by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao strongly criticized him. He suggested that Gandhi should study his party’s history before speaking. Rao stated that today, India enjoys true democracy, economic freedom, and political independence . Speaking to the media on Wednesday, he accused Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother, Indira Gandhi , of not respecting the judiciary and of undermining constitutional institutions by imposing Emergency , during which a single person ruled the country .

Rao said Rahul Gandhi should explain what democracy meant during that period, as the Congress government then behaved like British rulers . Today, the country operates under democratic leadership and systems . True democracy , real economic freedom , and political independence exist in India now, he emphasized.

Ramchander Rao’s remarks came after Rahul Gandhi recently commented at an event in Tamil Nadu that democracy in the country was under threat. Rao refuted Gandhi’s statements that democratic institutions and the Election Commission were under attack. BJP leaders added that political tensions are rising ahead of the 2026 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu , with a three-way contest expected among the DMK–Congress alliance, BJP–AIADMK alliance, and the newly emerged Tamil Vetri Kazhagam.