Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Thursday tore into the opposition allegations of lack of development in Telangana, and lobbed the ball back into their court stating that both the national parties – Congress and BJP – were adept at infringing on the rights and powers of States. “From the Congress government under Indira […]
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Thursday tore into the opposition allegations of lack of development in Telangana, and lobbed the ball back into their court stating that both the national parties – Congress and BJP – were adept at infringing on the rights and powers of States.
“From the Congress government under Indira Gandhi to the current BJP rule, the rights of States continue to be infringed upon,” the Chief Minister said during a short discussion on Palle Pragathi in the State Assembly.
“I am saying this as a Chief Minister and president of a regional party,” he said, adding that the Centre was taking over the powers of the States on all fronts, particularly in cooperative and agriculture sectors. The Centre wants to directly credit benefits to coolies from Delhi but it takes all the GST collections. These anomalies should go. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin also wrote a letter on the need for a united effort to reclaim the primacy of the State governments,” he said.
Decrying the Centre’s apathetic attitude to funds allocations, the Chief Minister said the 15th Finance Commission cut 25 per cent of the funds to local bodies. Earlier, the State got Rs.1,840 crore which had been brought down to Rs.1,365 crore after the 25 per cent cut.
Pointing out that the Centre had gone to the extent of monetization of gram panchayat funds, he said: “It’s a concern now.” Niti Aayog, appreciating Mission Bhageeratha, had said that the scheme should be implemented elsewhere in the country and asked the Centre to allocate more funds to Telangana, but nothing came of it, he said.
The Centre appreciated effective utilisation of funds released under EGS to gram panchayats. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar also lauded Telangana for using these finds though there were apprehensions about it, Chandrashekhar Rao said, pointing out to the irony in the situation.
“Several officials from Delhi came and inspected various initiatives implemented in Telangana. The State, however, got nothing from the Centre save for several awards. For the development of five metropolitan cities – Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, Rs.20,000 crore funds were sought and the same was brought to the notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But there has been no response so far,” he said.
Training his guns on CLP leader Mallu Batti Vikramarka, the Chief Minister said the Congress government in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh from 2004 to 2014 had completely ignored creation of infrastructure in villages. “Your government neither planted saplings nor took up development projects in villages,” he said. In the Congress regime, MLAs used to spend funds for digging borewells only in their constituencies. Moreover, there were protests with empty pots demanding supply of drinking water, he said, adding that the situation had now changed completely. I
In Telangana, there is no shortage of urea and PD Act was invoked against those selling spurious seeds. Rythu Vedikas have been constructed only in Telangana, he said.
Chandrashekhar Rao said the State government will come up with an action plan on November 1 on what crops to be cultivated by farmers. Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy will explain about it on November 1. The government will wait till November since the Centre is yet to fix the yearly procurement targets, he said.
Probe ordered into Wakf properties
Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Thursday ordered a probe into the alleged irregularities in Wakf Board properties. The move comes in the wake of MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi raising the issue in the State Assembly on Thursday.
On other issues including allotment of land at Shamshabad airport to fruit vendors raised by Owaisi, Rao asked him to coordinate with Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali and Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav.
The State government would render justice to vendors, he promised. Akbaruddin later thanked the Chief Minister for responding positively to the issues raised by him.
Land identified for super-speciality hospitals
Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Thursday said that land for construction of super-speciality hospitals in Gachibowli, L B Nagar, Alwal and Sanathnagar had been identified, and all of them will be named Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS).
The government has decided to construct these hospitals to give excellent treatment to patients. Doctors and the staff quarters will also come up in the hospital premises to be constructed at Chest Hospital in Erragadda, Fruits Market in Gaddiannaram and in Alwal.
To a clarification sought by BJP MLA M Raghunandan Rao, the Chief Minister asked R&B Minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy to inspect the Gachibowli site and resolve the issue without obstructing the stadium near TIMS.
MIM floor leader Akbaruddin raised the issue pertaining to OGH. The matter would be discussed during the meeting of MLAs from the twin cities in the Assembly.
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