TelanganaGovt ignoring farmer suicides: BJP

Hyderabad: The BJP said that the Governor’s address made them feel as if he was reading TRS party’s manifesto. During a discussion on motion of thanks to Governor’s address on Saturday, BJP floor leader K Laxman said though 1,200 farmers had committed suicide, there was no mention of it in Governor’s speech.

• Govt ignoring farmer suicides, says BJP
• BJP floor leader K Laxman asks the government to elucidate the steps initiated to stop farmer suicides
• Laxman demands government that BC sub-plan be introduced as BCs constitute 50 per cent of the State population

He questioned the government as to what steps it has initiated to stop farmer suicides. He urged the government to waive off all the remaining loans taken by the farmers. He said though three academic years have been completed, the government was yet to prepare concept papers for implementing KG to PG free education.

Laxman said literacy level in the state stood at 60 per cent and not even single per cent had increased after the formation of Telangana state. He asked how golden Telangana would be possible if literacy levels were low.The BJP floor leader said the government instead of strengthening its schools is closing them by rationalisation. He alleged the government chose not to recruit teachers in the name of rationalisation though there is a possibility for recruiting teachers.

Laxman alleged that the government had been diverting funds allocated for the development of SCs and STs. He said as BCs constitute 50 per cent of the State population, the government should introduce BC sub-plan. MIM MLA Akbaruddin Oswaisi said there was no mention of severe drought and water crisis in the State in Governor’s speech.

He questioned as to how much funds the Central government had released for the drought-hit areas. Stating that 150 farmers committed suicide between December 2015 and January, 2016, he sought to know as to how many kin of the farmers were given enhanced
ex-gratia.
Adding that state finances were not up to the mark, Akbaruddin said the Central government’s devolution of funds to the State was less when compared to what it had given to Andhra Pradesh. He urged the government to get more Central funds for the state in order to fulfil promises made to the people.

Welcoming the government’s move to establish 70 minority residential schools, he said the government should provide all facilities that are provided in SC, ST welfare hostels.Akbaruddin demanded that the government should introduce BC and minority sub-plan. On the 12 per cent quota for Muslims, he asked the government to constitute a legal committee to defend the government version in the Supreme Court.

The MIM MLA urged the government to constitute a house committee on the Wakf lands allocated to MNCs at Manikonda and other areas. The funds generated through Wakf Board can be used for the welfare of minorities, he suggested.He said proposal to hike property tax, electricity charges and bus fares would put an additional burden on people and urged the government to allocate special funds to address water crisis.

Stating that the MIM was in favour of regularisation of contract workers, he asked whether rule of reservation was being followed or not particularly with reference to local and non-local issue. Terming Governor’s speech non-creative and non-innovative,

TDP MLA R Krishnaiah said the government failed to initiate recruitment process though 40,000 teacher posts were lying vacant. As the government is likely to table Private Universities Bill, he said such bill would collapse the State universities. He added that private universities would start selling degrees.