Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Free water to Hyderabad households, free power to dhobi ghats, laundries, salons across TS

By Telangana Today

Published: Updated On - 11:49 PM, Mon - 23 November 20

TRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao speaking after releasing TRS manifesto for GHMC elections on Monday. KCR releases TRS manifesto for GHMC polls; huge relief for various sections hit by Covid and economic recession

Hyderabad: TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, describing Hyderabad as a “bouquet of different flowers” on Monday, promised a basket of goodies for the citizens that includes free water supply to households that consume not more than 20,000 litres a month and free power supply to salons, laundries and dhobi ghats not only in the city but across the State, both from December.

The TRS manifesto, released by the Chief Minister at Telangana Bhavan, the party headquarters here, reflects the TRS government’s concern for sections that had been badly impacted by the twin issues of coronavirus-triggered lockdown and its aftermath as also the economic slowdown that has hit the country hard.

The free water supply promise should bring cheer to most Hyderabadis since it will cover 97 per cent of the households in the city. “Hyderabad will be the second city in the country after New Delhi to provide free water to its denizens,” the Chief Minister said, adding that club houses in housing societies, private schools and charitable organisations will also be eligible for free water with the same criterion.

The Chief Minister kept his promise of extending support to the Telugu film industry when its representatives called on him on Sunday, and announced that the government will reimburse the State GST for small budget films (upto Rs 10 crore), allow theatres to increase the number of shows per day and make ticket pricing flexible following the losses incurred by the industry that has been having a dry run since March when Covid-19 stuck the country.

While theatres across the State will also enjoy the benefits of another concession – waiver of minimum demand charge of HD and LT categories – till they resume operations, industries and commercial establishments need not pay the minimum demand charge for the six month lockdown period from March.

The TRS also intends to come to the rescue of vehicle owners affected by the lockdown from March-September, waiving motor vehicle tax amounting to Rs 267 crore for the two quarters of the current year. This move will benefit 3,37,611 vehicle owners in the city.

Stating that Hyderabad had emerged as a top cosmopolitan city in the country, Chandrashekhar Rao said: “This is probably the only city in the country which can boast of having a Gujarati Galli, a Parsi Gutta, a Sindhi colony and an Arab colony, which reflects the cosmopolitan and secular fabric of the city.”

The TRS government, he said, has the rare distinction of introducing several unique and progressive policies such as TS-iPASS, TS-bPASS and the one-of-its-kind Dharani portal for land management.

“People from all over the country have settled down in the city, and are a happy lot. The city has a rich culture and a great history, and the TRS government has already taken up several initiatives to make it a truly global city. No other city in the country has seen so many initiatives being taken up for development in a short span of seven years, and we will strive to keep the momentum going by introducing more schemes and initiatives,” he said.