Thrust to rural economy under TRS rule

The Telangana government has comprehensively revamped the status of health care in the State and has put in place a strategy to improve existing facilities and to expand public health care, which was neglected in the past. New equipment, disposables etc have been provided to government hospitals and many dialysis centres have been set up in these hospitals.

The government has launched several initiatives to strengthen medical infrastructure in the State. In place of the earlier nine 150-bedded maternal and child health blocks that are operational in nine districts, the more such blocks in all districts have come up. In all, 17 hospitals have been upgraded. 20 intensive care units, 34 dialysis units, 9 MCH blocks, additional 14 blood banks, 12 Kangaroo Mother Care Units and one trauma care centre have been established after the formation of the state.

The government has launched ‘102’ service scheme with 250 vehicles for transportation of pregnant women for antenatal check-ups, deliveries and immunisation. Every pregnant woman is tracked, and birth planning is done through the ‘102’ services. All labour rooms are being standardised by providing necessary equipment and other renovations.

The government has launched ‘Telangana New-born Action Plan’ with an aim to reduce the Infant Mortality Rate and Neonatal Mortality Rate. Also planning to establish 9 new Special New-born Care Units (SNCUs) in addition to the existing 22 SNCUs.

Government has decided to organize eye camps all over the state on a large scale and provide free of cost glasses to the needy. A decision has also been taken to conduct medical tests for everyone all over the state at regular intervals, leading to creation of the health profile of all. The government has decided to give Rs 1000 pension per month to the patients suffering from lymphatic filariasis (Filaria), benefiting 47,000 people.

Land records updation
Government has embarked upon yet another major program-an historic one-of survey and settlement of the lands and to set right the land records straight in the state which will put an end to the land litigation once and for all. The last time survey and settlement of land was done was way back, 81 years ago, in 1936 under the then Nizam’s rule. An estimated 58 lakh farmers are getting pattaadar passbooks from May 10.

The Land Records Updation and Rectification programme has been described as the “Heart of Good Governance” by noted Indian Economist and Chief Economic Advisor to Government of India Arvind Subramanian.

To put an end to the Land Litigations and to rectify land records several reforms have been introduced. As part of that, 11,19,111 Sada Bainamas accounting for 15,68,171 survey numbers have been processed for regularisation.

Government has decided that the anywhere registration system be abolished in the State. It has also been decided to introduce revolutionary changes in the registration process making 443 MROs as the registration officers in addition to the existing 141 Sub-Registrars (Total 584). Registration and mutation process will be made simple and hassle free without any scope for delay or corruption. Computer-based ‘Dharani’ website is being made available to one and all to work on the lines of core banking.

Rythu Samanvaya Samithis
With the formation of Telangana State, government resolved to revive and rejuvenate the farm sector and to make agriculture a profitable endeavor. Towards this and to begin with, Farmers Coordination Committees (Rythu Samanvaya Samithis) are being organized for the welfare of the farmers starting from village level to state level.

At the state level The Telangana state Rythu Samanvaya Samithi has been established as a corporation. At every stage the Samanvaya Samithis will coordinate with the farmers right from supplying seeds to getting the MSP. The Samithi members, in all a 1,61,000-strong army, will act as bridge between the farmers and the government and help them in the process of forming crop colonies, imparting new scientific methods, ensuring timely supply of the seed and fertilisers and ensuring the MSP.

The government has appointed 2,638 Agriculture Extension Officers, one officer for every cluster of 5000 acres. Added to this the government has planned to build 2,630 farmers’ platforms – the Rythu Vedikas. Rythu Vedikas are being constructed with a meeting hall, small storage space, and a mini soil testing lab in each of the agriculture cluster for facilitating regular interactive meetings of farmers in the villages.

To reduce the cost of cultivation and drudgery of farm activities, Government has taken up ‘Farm Mechanisation’ in a big way. The flagship micro irrigation programme aims at improving crop productivity, production by improving the water use efficiency. Government has decided to supply on subsidy about 5,000 planting machines at the rate of 10 per Mandal as well as adequate weeding machines.

By: Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao
(Writer is CPRO to Telangana CM)