KTR, Harish to hold the fort: KCR to focus on Federal Front Formation
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is busy scripting strategies for the 2019 elections and making moves to cobble up a coalition of national opposition parties to serve as federal front against the BJP and the Congress, is understood to have asked Ministers K T Rama Rao (Industry) and T Harish Rao (Irrigation) to look after the administration.
The duo, who would be calling shots from now on, have been given a carte blanche to settle issues related to development programmes in all the 31 districts on the spot, without referring them back to the Chief Minister.
As the Assembly and general election are only a year away, the two ministers will have special responsibilities to make sure that benefits of the developmental programmes reach the intended beneficiaries. Apart from monitoring the performance of their respective departments, KTR and Harish Rao will resolve the important issues brought to their notice by the local MLAs, MLCs and MPs in the districts.
While KTR who has been given a free hand, has kick started official visits in the name of ‘ Pragathi Sabahs’ in the Assembly segments and is resolving pending issues, Harish will soon be making regular visits to selected Assembly constituencies where huge developmental programmers were taken up particularly- irrigation project works, double bed room housing , Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya , development of health infrastructure, road development works, construction of godowns and ware houses in the villages.
On the instructions of the Chief minister, Harish Rao also embarked on official visits to the Assembly segments mainly in the new districts and sanction works on the spot. For instance, on the request of the locals, Harish approved the setting up of a dialysis centre within 24 hours in Zaheerabad parliamentary segment during his recent visit. Harish also took part in many developmental programmes inaugurated in Nizamabad Parliamentary constituency along with local MP and KCR daughter K Kavitha.
Top officials of some important departments told The Hans India that they were receiving numerous requests for sanction of works and release of funds from the districts during the visits of KTR and Harish. The 21 new districts are lagging behind in the development due to various reasons.
The issues coming from these districts are considered top priority. The TRS legislators have also been asked to meet KTR and Harish Rao and seek their assistance to get funds released instantly.
Leaders said that KCR will confine himself to overall review of programmes and is instructing officials for speedy completion. At the ground level, KTR and Harish will coordinate with ministers concerned in the release of funds and execution of works.
“The Chief Minister hopes the arrangement would ensure that administration will move smoothly even if he does not interfere much because of his preoccupation with his political ambitions,” one TRS leader who is privy to the information, said.