The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Government recently came under criticism for gifting luxurious cars to government officials.
The K. Chandrashekar Rao led Telangana Government purchased 32 SUVs for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers. The high end cars of KIA Motors, were given as a gift to the IAS officers after a review meeting at Pragati Bhavan, Hyderabad, Telangana.
The luxury cars were flagged off by transport minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar in the presence of chief secretary Somesh Kumar and deputy transport commissioner Papa Rao. It is to be noted, the cost of 32 SUVs from KIA were procured by the Telangana State Road Transport Authority as per the direction of K. Chandrashekar Rao, the Chief Minister of Telangana. As per the State Government, the vehicles will help the additional collectors in extensive tours of the villages as part of their duty.
The sudden move of the TRS Government came during the ongoing pandemic of the Wuhan virus, also known as the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19.) The move gained a lot of criticism from the opposition parties. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called the purchase as “criminal splurge of public exchequer” by CM KCR to “appease bureaucrats.”
Krishnasagar Rao, a leader of the BJP said, “How can CM KCR justify spending over Rs. 11 crores to buy 32 ultra luxury vehicles for additional collectors in Telangana? The CM is indulging in this massive wastage of public money in the middle of a dangerous pandemic, while many poor people are dying of debt due to Covid hospitalisation bills.”
The BJP even highlighted the recent statement of T. Harish Rao, the Finance Minister of Telangana, over revenue loss. T. Harish Rao said the State had lost massive revenue because of lockdowns and wanted increased FRBM (Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management) limits to raise more loans.
Besides the BJP, the Indian National Congress (INC) leaders also pointed out the expensive purchase and lashed out at the ruling Government of Telangana. Dr. Sravan, the Spokesperson of the All India Congress Committee (AICC,) said, “KCR has pushed the surplus state of Telangana into a debt trap with a whopping debt of Rs 4,000 crore.” He further questioned, “On top of that, when the State is in a serious financial crisis due to COVID-19, KCR has the audacity to buy 30 Kia luxury cars with a cost of Rs. 30 lakh as gifts to his additional collectors. They already have government cars in good condition, why buy new cars in this crisis.”
In addition, a social activist Vijay Gopal also raised questions on this sudden purchase of luxurious cars, when there is a need for hospitals, oxygen beds and others due to the Wuhan virus situation.
Vijay Gopal said, “The State has no more than 650 ambulances under 108 services for four crore citizens i.e. approximately one ambulance for 60,000 citizens. Yet the CM hands out 32 cars of almost Rs. 31 lakh each in the name of administration, costing Rs. 9.2 crores. A high end ambulance costs Rs. 16 lakh.”
Meanwhile, highlighting the COVID-19 situation, Telangana has 22,133 active COVID-19 cases and as many as 3,469 deaths till date.
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