Medak: Telangana Health Minister Harish Rao hit out at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday over her demand of displaying Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s flex boards at ration shops. He was addressing a press conference at Tupran in the Medak district. He alleged Sitharaman`s demand of putting PM Modi`s flex boards at ration shops as “stooping low”.
“I don`t understand why the Union Minister keeps degrading her level. When she is talking about PM photos not being there at ration shops, she is bringing down the Prime Minister`s level. This is not the first government in the country. Before this also, many governments have ruled, but never before anyone has come down to this level,” said Harish Rao.
Rao further claimed that Telangana is among the top states that take care of the country financially.
“She is saying as if the central government is the only one giving free rice to the state. The centre hardly provides 50 to 55 pc of the funds, and the remaining 45 pc is borne by the state only and for that Telangana government spends Rs 3,610 crore. Telangana is among the five/six states which take care of our country financially. We have spent extra Rs 1,70,000 crore for the country. Then, why don`t you keep the photo of our Chief Minister KCR in other states as well?” said Harish Rao.
Earlier, the Union Finance Minister on Friday attended the `Parliament Pravas` programme in Kamareddy on Thursday, during her three-day visit to Telangana. She made a visit to the ration shops to look at the state and Centre`s share in the ration provided to beneficiaries.
Sitharaman slammed the local collector, during her visit to ration shops, and demanded PM Modi flex boards be put up at every PDS ration shop in the state. She also alleged that whenever someone tries to keep PM Modi`s flex at ration shops, either it is removed or torn down.