Harish Rao corners Congress government on VRAs, housing and land issues

The BRS MLA castigates Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy on Sada Bainama issue; demands justice for people who paid money but did not receive land titles

Hyderabad: Former Minister and senior BRS MLA T Harish Rao on Wednesday cornered the Congress government to clarify on the fate of 3,797 Village Revenue Assistants (VRAs) left out of regularisation due to age restrictions. He said the previous BRS government recognised and regularised the services of the VRAs as government employees.

“We planned to appoint the children of VRAs who could not be regularised due to age restrictions, under inheritance. The government should clarify whether there are any proposals to appoint them,” he said.

---

Posing direct questions to Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy during discussion on the budget demands in the Assembly, Harish Rao castigated the Minister on the contentious Sada Bainama issue. “The government promised to clear pending applications. How many farmers are affected, and when will the regularisation be completed?” he asked.

Bringing up GO 59, the former Minister demanded justice for people who had paid money but had not received land titles. “Either issue them their land titles or refund their money,” he asserted.

Harish Rao also pressed for transparency on housing schemes, questioning the number of houses built in 16 months under the Congress regime and the timeline for the completion of 65,000 double-bedroom houses. “In some areas, beneficiaries were selected and even certificates issued during the previous BRS rule. But the houses have not been handed over till now,” he said.

Pointing to poor maintenance in the double-bedroom housing complex at Kollur, he slammed the government for neglecting sanitation. “Garbage is piling up, and residents are suffering. Immediate action is needed,: he urged.

The senior BRS legislator sought clarity on the Adarsha Gramam (model village) housing promise, stating that the officials are misleading the public. “Are houses for all or only a few?” he asked.

Demanding accountability on government advertising expenditure, he questioned how much was spent on print, electronic, and outdoor media in the past 16 months. He condemned the Congress for targeting Namaste Telangana and T News, stating they were the voices of the Telangana movement.

Slamming the Congress for its pre-election promise of scrapping the LRS fee, he accused the government of betraying the poor. “They promised relief but are now extorting money from people in the name of regularisation fee,” he added.