Hyderabad: After continuous potshots from the opposition, the state IT minister KT Rama Rao challenged opposition parties to compare the welfare and development programmes being implemented in Telangana with those in Congress and BJP-ruled states.
Addressing a meeting of the Panchayat Raj department on Friday, KTR alleged that though Telangana has been performing far better than any other BJP-ruled state in the country, especially in rural development, the Union government remained biased towards it.
KTR also recalled that the Centre did not permit the construction of paddy drying platforms in Telangana while the same was allowed in Gujarat for fish with a sanction of Rs 192 crore.
“The Centre also did not release 15th Finance Commission grants. When Sarpanches were blaming the chief minister or the Panchayat Raj minister for not clearing the bills, the BJP leaders circulated this untruth on social media to derive political mileage,” held KTR.
“Though the state suffered a loss of Rs 1 lakh crore during the COVID-19 pandemic, Telangana’s progress was well balanced,” added KTR.
In addition to this, KTR highlighted that a survey by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies revealed that corruption was least in Telangana among 13 states in the country.
However, despite all these achievements, financial sanctions were being imposed on Telangana.
The BJP-led government had insisted on the implementation of power reforms, including fixing meters for agricultural pump sets if the state wanted a borrowing capacity of Rs 30,000 crore.
“However, chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao opposed the illogical decision in the better interest of farmers,” he said.
KTR further stated that the Centre also continued to impose restrictions on loans under the Fiscal Responsibility and Business Management Act in the middle of a financial year.
“Loans obtained by different corporations too were being included under the FRBM Act and eventually Rs 20,000 crore was cut for the state,” he said.
Lauding the Palle Pragathi and Pattana Pragathi initiatives by KCR, which helped the state bag 27 awards under Swachh Survekshan rankings, KTR said that Telangana was unique when compared to other states with an increase of 7.7 per cent in green cover registered.
“Telangana bagged 79 National Panchayat awards, including seven for Zilla Parishads, 16 for Mandal parishads and 56 for Gram Panchayats in seven years,” said KTR.
National Panchayat Awards presentation ceremony
While participating in the award ceremony, KTR announced that computers, printers and scanners would be supplied to all Gram Panchayats across Telangana for effective delivery of e-panchayat services.
At present, e-panchayat services were being offered in about 6,000 panchayats.
“Since the state government was promoting online services in all departments, e-panchayat needs to be strengthened and accordingly brand new computers and equipment would be given at an expense of about Rs 60 crore,” he said.
“If am sharing false figures and facts, people will teach us a lesson. At the same time, if all these facts are correct, they will elect us back to power,” asserted KTR.
Later in the day, KTR along with Panchayat Raj and Rural Development minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao announced an additional prize of Rs 10 lakh for panchayats winning district-level awards, Rs 20 lakh for state-level awards and Rs 30 lakh for national-level awards.
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