Telangana admin swings into action to fast-track KCR’s welfare plans

​Hyderabad: A day after Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s instructions, Telangana State administration swung into action to enforce the new pension scheme, distribution of  Bathukamma saris, selection of Panchayat Secretaries, finalisation of BC voters in every ward in panchayats etc. Chief Secretary S K Joshi on Monday held a meeting with the Secretaries and discussed the above-mentioned issues. 

He instructed the District Collectors to make arrangements for the distribution of Bathukamma saris to all identified women beneficiaries from Wednesday (December 19). The government was forced to put the sari distribution on hold, on the eve of State festival Bathukamma, on the directions of the Election Commission which imposed model code for the just concluded Assembly elections. The officials informed Joshi that the consignment of saris to the district headquarters was already over. 

District authorities will take steps to send them to the villages and complete the distribution in five or six days. Handlooms Commissioner Shailaja Aiyer said 90 lakh saris are being distributed this time. As the age limit of the beneficiaries of the old age pension scheme has been reduced to 57 from 65, the Chief Secretary instructed the officials concerned to identify real beneficiaries by verifying all original documents including Aadhar card before finalising the names. 

The annual income of the beneficiaries in rural areas should not exceed Rs one lakh and in urban areas, it was 
Rs 2 lakh. Those who possess lands more than seven acres or three acres of land are not eligible to avail the new pension scheme under which Rs 2,016 will be given every month through banks directly.

The issue of recruitment of 9, 355 Junior Panchayat Secretaries was also discussed in the meeting. Joshi set December 31 deadline to complete the selection process. Panchayat Raj Commissioner Nitu Prasad said that the enrolment of BC (Backward Classes) voters is under progress in all villages which are to go for Panchayat elections in January 2019. 
The guidelines for the BC reservations in the local bodies will also be finalised at the earliest.

Taking serious note of the delay in the land acquirement for the sanctioned national highways, the Chief Secretary asked Principal Secretary to Roads and Buildings Suneel Sharma to pay special attention on the particular issue and resolve the land problem in coordination with district authorities immediately. Special Chief Secretary to Energy and welfare Ajay Mishra was also present in the meeting.