Uttam tears into TRS government

Warangal Urban: The onus is on intellectuals to spread the failures of TRS government, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President N Uttam Kumar Reddy said here on Friday.

Speaking at the Telangana Intellectuals Meet that focused on ‘Aspirations of People and Failures of the TRS Government,’ Uttam Kumar Reddy launched an all-out attack against Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao stating that latter had failed to live up to the expectations of the people.

The meeting was organised by retired economics professor (Kakatiya University) and the convener of Telangana Intellectuals Forum (TIF) M Ashok Kumar. Former TPCC President Ponnala Laxmaiah, Konda Surekha, Konda Muralidhar Rao, Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy and DCC President Naini Rajender Reddy were present.

“People in Telangana expected that there would be improvement in their lives, but nothing of that sort has happened. The TRS failed to fulfil election promises after forming a government,” he said, referring to the promise of double bedroom houses, 12 per cent reservations to Muslims and distribution of three acres of land for Dalit families etc.

The TRS government which promised to provide a job for each family had totally failed in employment generation in its four-and-half year rule, TPCC chief said. KCR may have failed in employment generation but he ensured five jobs to his family members, he pooh-poohed.

“If Congress is voted to power, it will fill one lakh job vacancies in government sector and strive for creation of another one lakh jobs in private sector,” Uttam Kumar Reddy asserted.

He said within 100 days of assuming power, the Congress will issue a mega DSC notification to fill 20,000 posts, in addition to launching loan-cum-subsidy scheme exclusively for Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to encourage self-employment.

“Even though Telangana had witnessed 4,500-odd farmers’ suicides, KCR did not have time to console the bereaved families,” he criticised. So what made KCR suddenly to come up with Rythu Bandhu, farmers’ investment support scheme that provides Rs 8,000 per acre per annum, he said, raising questions over the timing of several initiatives of the TRS government. “It’s understandable that the government which aimed at early elections in the State launched a host of schemes to lure the people,” he said.

Stating that agriculture sector is Congress party’s priority if it was voted to power, he said. He promised that Congress government would waive crop loan up to Rs 2 lakh at one go unlike the TRS government that implemented it in instalments.

A minimum support price of Rs 6,000 per quintal for cotton, Rs 7,000 per quintal for pulses and Rs 10,000 per quintal for chilli and turmeric would be provided to farmers, the TPCC president said. In addition to this, the Congress would introduce Rs 5,000 crore market intervention fund in the budget, he assured.

He said that old-age and physically challenged pensions would also be hiked to Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000. The Congress would also introduce unemployment allowance scheme, he added.

Besides clearing the pending bills of Indiramma housing scheme, the Congress would also continue double bedroom houses scheme. The scheme would be extended to those who come forward to construct houses on their own land, he said.

Prof. Ashok Kumar said: “There is a misconception that TRS alone has the support of intellectual groups. it’s not true. It’s time for the intellectuals to point out the TRS government’s irrational policies and its unilateral approach without much respect to the democracy.”

Stating that government is boasting about its achievements, he said that only 28 per cent of the 46,000-odd tanks were restored under the Mission Kakatiya in last four years. “Even though 80 per cent of the villages have drinking water facility, the TRS government has come up with Mission Bhagiratha programme. There is no point in it. So is Kaleshwaram Project,” he alleged.

Referring to Rythu Bandhu, he said the scheme is only helpful to affluent sections while the fate of the distressed sections remained static. Advocates V Vishnuvardhan and Ch Madhu, part-time lecturer E Ramesh and TJS T Seshu were also present.