Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao today hosted lunch to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan at Pragati Bhavan. Both the Chief Minister exchanged views on a wide range of issues ranging from Ease of Doing Business to law & order, Telangana welfare schemes, Tourism, Health tourism, beauty of Kerala Nature, Information Technology and so on.
The Kerala CM has all praise for the programs, schemes launched by the TS Government in general and for becoming No 1 State in the country in the Ease of Doing Business Category in particular. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao explained on several queries put forth by Pinarayi Vijayan.
Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, Home Minister Nayini Narasimha Reddy, IT Minister KT Rama Rao, MP Balka Suman, MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, Chief Advisor Rajiv Sharma, Chief Secretary SP Singh, DGP Anurag Sharma, Hyderabad Police Commissioner M Mahender Reddy, Finance Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, CMO senior officials S Narsing Rao, Shanthi Kumari, Smita Sabharwal, Bhoopal Reddy and others participated.
Land for Guest House at Sabarimala
During the meeting, CM KCR took the opportunity to take up the matter regarding allocation of land for the construction a guesthouse for pilgrims from Telangana in Sabarimala, with his Kerala counterpart. The CM informed Pinarayi Vijayan that both the State governments have already signed a draft MoU in this regard, which was pending with the Travancore Devasthanam Board and wanted the Kerala CM to expedite the matter and allocate land for the proposed Guest House. KCR also informed Pinarayi Vijayan that lakhs of devotees from Telangana regularly go on a pilgrimage to Sabarimala every year.
Ease of Doing Business
The Kerala CM has all praise for the TS for being Number One in Ease of Doing Business in the country. To this, KCR replied that the innovative and hassle-free industrial policy like the Ts-iPASS, Single Window clearances and other such pro-industrial friendly policies of the government have helped the State to make rapid strides in industries sector. He also informed Vijayan how the Telangana State was attracting huge investments in all sectors. KCR gave a copy of the State Industrial Policy booklet to the Kerala CM.
Land Reforms
The Kerala CM has evinced key interest in the Land reforms and maintenance of land records in the Telangana State. KCR in detail explained to the visiting CM about the land reforms and maintenance of the land records since the Nizam’s period dating back to the Salarjung days. He said pucca record system was in place and these records were being updated on a regular basis. In the past, people used to have immense faith on one another so much that they used do the land transactions on a white paper. The TS Government has begun registering such Sada Bainama land records. So far, the government has received some 11.5 lakh applications and the registration process was going on, KCR explained.
Kerala can sign a MoU with TS on IT
IT Minister KT Rama Rao, who was present in the meeting told the Kerala CM about the rapid strides that the TS made in the IT, IT Enabled services sector. KTR said five major IT Companies like Microsoft, Google, Apple and so on have their Head Quarters in Hyderabad. Since the Twin Cities have the advantage of having a comfortable weather conditions throughout the year, excellent Law and Order situation and seismologically safe area, many IT companies prefer Hyderabad.
Intervening, KCR said all the major IT companies in the World have their back-office operations based out of Hyderabad and that was how the city made a beginning in the IT sector. “We are now ranked No. 2 after Bangalore in the country and very soon we will be surpassing Bangalore,” KCR remarked. KTR informed the Kerala CM that the State of Goa had already signed an MoU with TS on the exchange of IT knowledge. Kerala can also sign a similar MoU with the T State, KTR suggested.
Training of Bureaucrats
The Kerala CM wanted to know what kinds of training facilities are there in the T State to train the officers. To this, KCR explained to him about DR MCR HRD Institute, which trains the bureaucrats and other officers on a regular basis. The Institute which is named after former Chief Minister Dr M Channa Reddy is known all over the country for its excellent training courses and modules. Besides training officers from the TS, Dr MCR HRD Institute also trains officers from other States too. Sri KCR also spoke about the Centre for Good Governance which is also part of the Dr MCR HDR Institute’s campus.
Culture and Tourism
Both the CMs also exchanged views on Culture and Tourism of both the States. KCR complimented the Kerala state for being one of the beautiful places in the country. “You are bestowed with nature’s beauty. No wonder people refer to Kerala as the God’s Own Country,” KCR said and recalled his visits to the State when he was second term MLA from Siddipet Assembly segment when he visited Guruvayoor and Kanyakumari. The Kerala CM talked about the Kerala’s Ayurveda system of medicine, which is popular all over the World. He also spoke about the health care, hospitals and health tourism of Kerala.
Welfare Programs
On the welfare programs, KCR told Vijayan about a plethora of welfare schemes launched by his government some of them were first in the country. He explained about Kalyan Laxmi/Shaadi Mubarak, 2 bed Room houses, Asara pensions etc., and informed on how the TS government was spending Rs 36,000 Crore alone on the welfare schemes. Rs 75,116 per girl for the marriage under Kalyan Laxmi/Shaadi Mubarak schemes have already benefitted 2 lakh girls KCR also said. He talked about the residential schools being set up for various sections of the people. He also told the visiting Kerala CM about the rich dividends the TS government schemes are reaping and how people are happy with them.
KCR presented an Ikkat Shawl and Charminar memento to Pinarayi Vijayan and said Charminar symbolize the communal harmony of the TS. KCR personally saw Vijayan off. Vijayan was accompanied by his personal staff. (NSS)