Stage set for stormy budget session in Telangana

The budget session of the Telangana Legislature is set to start from Monday (March 16, 2026), promising heated debates between the Treasury Benches and Opposition parties.

The session will start with Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla’s traditional address to the joint session of the Legislature, which is likely to be followed by the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee to decide on the duration of the session and the major issues on which the House will debate. According to the tentative schedule, the House will debate the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address on March 17 and 18, which will conclude with the reply of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on March 18.

After a holiday on Ugadi — the Telugu New Year’s Day — on March 19, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka will present the State’s annual financial statement, the budget for 2026-27, on Friday. The Finance Minister will have a tight rope walk in presenting the budget to strike a balance between welfare and development as the State has embarked upon a few major projects like the Bharat Future City and taking over of the Hyderabad Metro Rail from the current operator L&T. The State government is yet to announce a firm date for crediting the amounts under Rythu Bharosa, the farmers investment support scheme.

The two Houses will discuss about the demands for grants for departments from March 23, and the House is scheduled to adjourn after the passage of the budget on March 30. The BAC meeting will take a final call on the duration of the session though.

The ruling party is gearing up to tackle the Opposition, which is likely to raise queries pertaining to the perceived shortage of LPG cylinders due to the ongoing war in the Middle East. Another major issue that is likely to figure during the session is the alleged diversion of Godavari waters by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh through Nallamalasagar project.

The Congress is likely to explain its stand against allowing any attempts by the A.P. government to divert Godavari waters and is likely to make a PowerPoint presentation, on the lines of the presentation made in the past in respect of Krishna river water sharing between the two States. Amid frayed tempers between the ruling Congress and the main Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samiti over the proposed Musi riverfront development project, the House is expected to see heated debates on the issue if the Speaker permits.

Other major issues that are likely to figure during the session are the controversy surrounding the award of mining pertaining to the Naini coal block which generated considerable heat among the political parties and the eviction of residents on Bhoodan lands at Velugumatla in Khammam district where nearly 600 houses were razed and residents were evicted.

It will be interesting to see whether the Treasury Benches opt for the appointment of a deputy speaker during the budget session. The House has been functioning in the absence of a deputy speaker for quite some time now, in spite of the ruling party naming Dornakal MLA J. Ramachandar Naik for the post.