Cabinet to focus on speedy development

Hyderabad: The state cabinet, which is scheduled to meet on January 4, is likely to make several major decisions to put the state in a fast-forward mode of development.

The cabinet would approve the Rythu Bharosa scheme and ratify the modalities recommended by the cabinet sub-committee to identify the beneficiaries. The scheme would benefit the poor farmers who own not more than 10 acres of dryland. People pay-ing income tax, government employees, and elected public rep-resentatives at all levels will be kept out of the scheme.

It would also focus attention on holding local body elections in January itself. To facilitate this, the cabinet is likely to clear the proposal of having a dedicated commission for BCs. The gov-ernment feels that local body elections and gaining a majority is a must to effectively implement the six guarantees that Congress had promised before elections. Setting up the SC categorisation committee will also be discussed. Other issues that may come up during the cabinet meeting are issuing new white ration cards, a caste census, and a new tour-ism policy. The government may also examine the possibility of supplying sand, cement and steel at subsidised rates for the construction of the Indiramma Housing scheme.

All the ministers have been asked to present their action plan to resolve the pending issues related to the departments they were heading. It will also approve the Caste Census which has been recently completed. Another major scheme that may be cleared is extending Rs 12,000 financial assistance to each landless labourer. This scheme will also be launched soon.

Mobilisation of the financial resources and the sale of the costly lands in Hyderabad to speed up the development of the state as well as the implementation of all promises would also be part of the cabinet agenda, according to sources.