Year Ender 2020: Telangana government treads path strewn with thorns

Year Ender 2020 Telangana: The 2020 was the toughest year for the Telangana State government to run the administration in all aspects since the formation of Telangana six years ago. The Telangana State has encountered many challenges all through the year.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's crucial decisions like the introduction of Dharani portal for the registration of agricultural and non-agricultural lands, LRS (Land Regularisation Scheme), handling the corona pandemic and Hyderabad floods and the prevailing fiscal crisis has put the government in a fix. The High Court intervention in the government's every crucial decision, 52 days TSRTC employees' strike, strong opposition to the demolition of old Secretariat and construction of new state head office of the state administration during the corona crisis also played a spoilsport.

On the political front, the bonhomie witnessed between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments came to an end over river Krishna and Godavari water sharing and the disputes reached a pinnacle after the two states lodged serious complaints against each other with the Union government. The relations between Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart YS Jagan Mohan Reddy soured and the friendly relations between the two States might not revive in near future.

Despite facing many challenges, the State government has succeeded in continuing all welfare schemes during the lockdown period in the current year. Perhaps, for the first time in history, the State government had borrowed the highest amount of more than Rs 15,000 crore in just four months for State needs.

The government's decision to introduce the Dharani portal for registrations drew strong criticism from all sections. After overcoming initial hiccups, the State succeeded in taking up farmland registrations on the portal. However, the new system for non-agricultural land registrations proved a futile exercise. On the High Court's directions, the government was forced to adopt the old CARD system during the non-farm registrations. The total halt in the land and property registrations for more than three months has caused a huge dent on the State exchequer.

The LRS scheme dented the government's image to some extent as the opposition parties projected the land regularisation scheme a deliberate attempt to fleece the people in the corona crisis.

Further, the State government's indifference towards addressing the RTC employees demand to hike the pay drew people's anger. The government mended its ways in resolving the issues with the active intervention from the court. The demolition of old secretariat also received strong criticism.

January: Our year started with a focus on health and fitness as we had an opportunity to inaugurate the World's largest meditation centre at Kanha Shanti Vanam in Hyderabad, Telangana to mark the 75th anniversary of the formation of Shri Ram Chandra Mission (SRCM) and Heartfulness Institute on January 28, 2020.

February: With February approaching, we had another exciting surprise awaiting in Telangana as on February 07, 2020, Chief Minister of Telangana State K Chandrashekhar Rao flagged off the new metro line from Jubilee Bus Station (JBS) to Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) connecting twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, and the 11km stretch becoming India's 2nd largest Metro Rail Network with the total operational distance of 69.2 kms, only next to Delhi Metro Rail Network having an operational distance of 231 kms.

March: After the success of Janata Curfew on March 22 (Sunday) announced by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced a total lockdown to be continued in the State till March 31, with the exception of essential services and commodities.

April: Though locked at homes people unlock ways through technology. Confined to four walls in the face of coronavirus scare, people who were hesitant in the past, started to embrace digital ways of doing everything – from healthcare to education, online meetings while working at home to online education and procuring essentials at doorsteps.

May: The month of May had some light of hope as the first Plasma injected patient recovered from Covid-19 and Gandhi doctors sent a list of 6 other patients to ICMR for their approval to continue the plasma therapy. The 44-year-old male patient injected with plasma twice by Gandhi doctors in a gap of some days, showed good signs of recovery.

June: As Telangana State turned six, wishes poured in from across the country on June 2. President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice-President, M Venkaiah Naidu tweeted in Urdu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who greeted the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and the people of the State on Telangana Formation Day

July: Even during the lockdown period, Telangana State has registered a phenomenal growth in the GST collections. Competing with other fast-developing states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, etc, Telangana's GST collections have crossed Rs 3,200 crore in June month registering a 3 per cent growth over Rs 3,100 crore in the same month last year. In the first two months of lockdown in April and May, the GST collections were less than Rs 700 crore.

August: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA)has received a mass fever screening system from the Central government. With an objective to enhance the efficacy of the screening process, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India in coordination with Asian Development Bank, has provided Hyderabad International Airport with a state-of-the-art Thermal Scanner - a mass fever screening system, funded by UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund).

September: Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao inaugurated the cable-stayed bridge constructed on Durgam Cheruvu at Madhapur besides the four-lane elevated corridor from road number 45, Jubilee Hills to Durgam Cheruvu .

October: Hyderabad witnessed a record rainfall in 24 hours October that saw an extreme weather event that will be etched in the memories of the people. Sudden spells of heavy downpour, cloud bursts and flash floods over a week and especially on the intervening night of October 13-14, exposed the fragile and inefficient urban infrastructure of the capital of Telangana.

November: GHMC election announced The Telangana government on Tuesday took the opposition by surprise by giving its go-ahead to hold the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections and bringing forward the entire process by almost two months. The State Election Comission announced the schedule on November 17 which said that the voting was to be held on December 1 and counting will take place on December 4.

December: GHMC results declared The Telangana Rashtra Samithi emerged as the single largest party in the GHMC polls 2020 by grabbing 55 seats while the BJP took a position as the main opposition with victory in 48 wards. Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM got the third spot with 44 seats. Diplomats visit Covid vaccine mfg centres. More than 60 diplomats and ambassadors from over 60 countries visited the Bharat Biotech and Biological E manufacturing units.