Let golden era continue: CM KCR

​Hyderabad: In what appeared like an election-eve address, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Wednesday sought the support of the people for his government as it had not only logged in outstanding achievements in various sectors but also stood in the forefront in implementation of various welfare schemes.

Chandrasekhar Rao, delivering his address at the 72nd Independence Day celebrations at the historic Golconda Fort, said that one should realise that the state was witnessing a golden era now and all sections of people are getting their due under his dispensation.

He said he had utilised the last four years for scripting development plans that are viable and avoided dabbling in cheap politics and kicking up unnecessary disputes with other states. "The state government is spending Rs 40,000 crore on implementation of 40 flagship programmes. Telangana is number one in the country," he declared.

Referring to his endeavour to promote Hyderabad as a global city, KCR said his government had decided to spend Rs 50,000 crore in the next five years to improve infrastructure, including satellite townships and Regional Ring Roads (RRR). 

The Chief Minister also announced the launch of works for the second phase of Metro Rail project from September.
He said the Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP) at the cost of Rs 25,000 crore has already been taken up under which construction of skyways, express ways and underpasses were taken up to improve hassle-free road transportation facility and make Hyderabad a traffic signal-free city. It was also proposed to establish RRR on a stretch of 338 km covering Sangareddy – Gajwel – Chowtuppal -Mal – Kadthal - Shadnagar – Chevella and Kandi. The RRR will be constructed on par with the international express highway.

The works under phase one Metro Rail on LB Nagar – Ameerpat stretch were near completion and the services will be launched from next month. The Metro Rail works on Ameerpet – Hitech city are also on fast pace and the services will be provided to denizens from November this year, he said. To meet drinking water needs for the next 30 years, KCR said that two big reservoirs with 20 tmc ft capacity each were under construction. 

Listing out important schemes his government had brought forth for people in Telangana state in his 70-minute speech, KCR claimed that he had attended to farmers' woes by taking up several measures, including round-the-clock free power supply, Rythu Bandhu incentive and insurance schemes, input subsidies, promotion of drip and micro irrigation and so on. Land records purification helped farmers to get their legal rights on their lands, he said.

To improve irrigation facility to parched lands, the Chief Minister said that several irrigation projects have been completed and several others were redesigned for better utilisation of water from the Krishna and Godavari rivers. Construction of Kaleswaram, Palamuru – Ranga Reddy and Sitarama projects are already under progress. The Energy sector was also accorded top priority aiming to make the state surplus in power soon.

For the economic empowerment of the communities, the government is providing financial assistance to the poor to pursue their traditional occupation for their livelihoods in the villages, KCR said, adding that sheep and cattle distribution, incentives to weavers, disbursement of loans to the BCs, pensions, KCR kits and Kalyana Lakshmi scheme were among some that went to the rescue of the poor and improved their living standards.

The other schemes he mentioned to promote education in the state included mid-day meal scheme with fine rice in government schools , opening of new residential schools for BCs, SCs, STs and minorities, scholarships for the poor students pursuing higher education abroad. The Chief Minister said land distribution for poor Dalits and establishment of study circles for SCs and STs communities opened doors to compete for government jobs. Establishment of IT Park exclusively for minorities and awarding government contract works to the aspiring entrepreneurs form SCs and STs will also be done soon.

Mission Bhagiratha and strengthening of Medical and Health departments allowed people to lead a healthy life, he said, adding that Haritha Haram will also address the environmental concerns in the rapidly growing Telangana state.