CM KCR puts 4 promises on fast-track

Hyderabad: The State Government has decided to put four main promises made by TRS during 2018 Assembly elections on fast-track, and fulfill them in next two months' time.

The state government will allocate Rs 1,000 crore per month to implement the four promises which includes Aasara pension scheme for above 57-year-old poor, issuance of new ration cards, completion of 2 BHK houses for the identified beneficiaries and Rs 3 lakh financial aid to the people who construct houses in their own residential plots anywhere in the state.

According to sources, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao will make the announcement regarding the new target on Independence Day on August 15.

It is learnt that the Finance department has started finding ways and means to mobilise necessary funds for the purpose. Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Civil Supplies and Housing departments have been asked to make necessary arrangements to launch the new pension scheme, housing and ration cards distribution.

In the 2022-2023 budget outlay, the state government had announced that 4 lakh beneficiaries will be provided assistance to construct houses with a unit cost of Rs 3 lakh. About 3,000 houses will be constructed in each of the Assembly segments.

For Aasara pensions, officials said that the government already earmarked Rs 11,728 crore and the new pensioners above 57 years will be provided the benefit. Currently, 40 lakh poor people who are above 65 years are availing the scheme. It is estimated that another 40 lakh applications are pending before the Society for Elimination of Poverty (SERP).

The officials of state Housing department said that the works at most of the 2 BHK sites were in completion stage. The targets set by the government for rural and urban areas will be met by the end of this year. Tenders to achieve the target of 2.8 lakh 2 BHK houses have been finalised.

New ration cards will also be distributed to the eligible families. The government already provided 80 lakh ration cards in the state.

KCR will personally monitor the implementation of the four important promises. He will also participate in the meetings organised to distribute pension and housing benefits and would be spending more time visiting villages.