Three years of governance with a huge difference

As a result of 14-year peaceful and conscious struggle, under the leadership of Kalvakuntla Chandrashekhar Rao, Telangana State was formed. When he took over as Chief Minister, he had to face many problems, obstacles, issues like uncertainties in several sectors, non-availability of officials and non-cooperation from the neighbouring State etc., perhaps comparable to the situation faced by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru when he took over as PM of independent India.

Like Pandit Nehru who in his own style laid direction, action plan and a road map for the young country, Chandrashekhar Rao also formulated plans, roadmap for the new State, which faced injustices and sufferings under 60 years of Andhra misrule. KCR has been defining, designing and delivering what all that the young state needed during the last three years of his governance.

Within a short span of just three years, Chandrashekhar Rao as the CM made the State number one in the country in several spheres. The Telangana State is making rapid strides in development and attracting attention of the entire country for its innovative schemes, programmes and projects. The one outstanding example of transforming the power deficit State into a power surplus State is enough to define the pace of development of the Telangana State.

There are several such programmes and initiatives that took place under the leadership of KCR. Everyone has a reason to praise Telangana State. The government has distributed welfare to every section of the society. The schemes are formulated after a thorough thought process with a human touch.

For 38 Lakh beneficiaries at the cost of Rs 4,844 crore, Rs 1000 per month Asara pensions are provided. Under Kalyan Laxmi/Shaadi Mubarak scheme, each bride is given Rs 75,116 financial assistance for marriage. Six kilograms of rice per member at a subsidised rate of Rs 1 per KG is supplied. Rs 12,000 financial assistance is provided to each pregnant woman, Rs 2000 worth KCR kits are distributed to the new born in the new State. Rs 1000 per month pension is granted to each single woman.

These are some of the programmes launched for the well-being of people. The Telangana government, which is dedicated to the people, has initiated programmes for the welfare of each person in the State. The State government is the only government in the country, which is spending Rs 40,000 crore on 35 welfare schemes.

The income limit of small traders and employees is hiked from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1, 50,000 in rural areas, from Rs 75,000 to Rs 2, 00,000 in urban areas to make them eligible for various welfare schemes.
Free and compulsory education from KG-to-PG is being implemented in the State. Residential schools are started in a big way to impart corporate level education to the poor students in English medium.

Rs 20 lakh each overseas scholarship is granted to poor students to study abroad. Fine rice is given to hostels and Anganwadi centers. Three acres of agriculture land are distributed to each Dalit family along with input expenditure for the first year. Agriculture and farmers welfare is the topmost priority for the government and the CM.

The CM has decided to give Rs 8,000 per acre per year as input subsidy for two crops. The moment the TRS government came to power, Rs 17,000 crore worth loans of 35 Lakh farmers are waived once and for all. An amount of Rs 25,000 crore is allocated every year in the Budget for major and medium irrigation projects with an aim to supply water to one crore acres, and the works on all these projects is going on fast-track.

Under Mission Kakatiya, 46,000 tanks are being revived and rejuvenated. 21.5 lakh metric tonnes capacity godowns have been constructed. Another significant achievement is supply of power 24x7 hours to all sectors except the farm sector which is given 9-hour uninterrupted quality power supply.

When the state was formed, the power generation capacity was 6,000 MW which now doubled to 12,000 MW. In the next two years, it will reach 25,000 MW, for which new plants are being installed. In solar power, the state is number one in the country and by next year the farm sector will also get 24x7 hour power supply. The government is striving towards strengthening the rural economy.

Yadavs, Kurumas are given 75 per cent subsidy for purchase of sheep. The government has taken up fish culture in a big way to help Bestha, Mudiraj communities. Helping hand is extended to handloom workers by giving Rs 15,000 per month as wages and 50 per cent subsidy on the Yarn and chemicals. Rs 1 lakh financial assistance is given to Naayi Brahmins to set up modern hair dressing saloons.

It may be noted that a special corporation is set up for the MBCs with Rs 1000 crore seed fund. Under Mission Bhagiratha, drinking water is being supplied to every household in the State bringing the Godavari and Krishna waters. To make the poor live with dignity, the government has taken up construction of 2 BHK houses comprising 2 bed rooms, hall, kitchen and 2 bathrooms free of cost to the beneficiary.

The state government has created a special development fund exclusively for SC/STs based on their population figures and created carry forward facility under an Act passed by the Assembly. The government has also passed an Act providing 12 per cent reservation to the backward Minorities and 10 per cent to the STs. All the Thandas are upgraded as Gram Panchayats.

Each Telangana Martyr family is given Rs 10 lakh assistance and one job to the eligible person from each family. State government employees are given 43 per cent fitment in their salaries as well as a special increment from June 2, 2014 when the State was formed.

A major hike is effected in the salaries of Asha workers, Anganwadi teachers, municipal sanitary workers, contract lecturers and water works employees. The government is also taking measures to eradicate bonded labor system. 24,000 outsourcing employees working under the electricity department are regularised.

Besides Rs 12,000 financial assistance and KCR kits, those women who have given birth to baby girls are given an additional Rs 1000 each. Rs 100 crore each is granted for advocates welfare and Brahmin Welfare and for welfare of journalists Rs 50 crore is allocated. Ambulance services are provided free of cost to shift bodies from hospitals to their homes.

Free accident insurance policy of Rs 5 lakh each is provided to construction workers, auto drivers, home guards, toddy tappers and journalists. The limit on loan given at 25 paise nominal interest to self-help groups has been increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

Measures are being taken to supply quality seed, fertilisers, pesticides to farmers on time. Seeds are supplied at subsidised rates at the farmers’ doorstep through the Primacy Agriculture Societies and the seeds are stocked in the godowns to prevent any scarcity.

The land records in the state are updated to do away with land-related disputes and 12 lakh Sada Bainama are registered free of cost. Micro irrigation is also given a top priority and reservations are provided in all the market committees. For the poor, 125 square yards of residential plot on government lands are regularised, and Rs 1.25 lakh is given for land pattas.

World’s best industrial policy is being implemented in the State and the State is ranked number one in IT sector with the highest IT exports. Under TS IPASS, all permissions for the industry are given within 15 days of application. The state also stood first in ‘ease of doing business’ in the country. For the young entrepreneurs, T-Hub incubator has set up.

Districts are reorganised for the administrative convenience and for the benefit of the people increasing the number from 10 to 31. Haritha Haram programme, the second largest human effort of green cover, aiming at planting 230 crore saplings is in progress.

That the welfare schemes of the state are yielding good results can be gauged from the fact that the State stood first in the revenue growth rate in the country. The oft-repeated assertion of the CM that Telangana State is the richest is nothing but plain truth. With this growth rate, the State will be able to implement several new innovative schemes in future. (Writer is Telangana Chief Minister’s Chief Public Relations Officer)

By Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao