Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday advised the people of Hyderabad to be careful in choosing the party to rule the city for the next five years. He expressed serious concern about the future of the city if political parties that are divisive and capable of creating disturbances and clashes resulting in curfews and uncertainty, are voted to power.
“If there are disturbances, the real estate will collapse in Hyderabad. Investments will not come. There will be unrest. The intellectuals, investors, realtors and all the concerned citizens of Hyderabad must decide whether they want ‘a Hyderabad for all or a Hyderabad belonging to a few,’ he said, adding that there cannot be any developmental activity in GHMC region without the State government’s support.
After releasing the party manifesto at Telangana Bhavan here, Chandrashekhar Rao said Hyderabad was known as a truly cosmopolitan city with a great history. He said the city had always been secular and diversified in nature, but certain people with political motives were trying to create a divide and disturb communal harmony. “The TRS is trying to develop Hyderabad into a global city. Through its novel initiatives, we have been successful to a major extent in implementing this agenda,” he said.
The Chief Minister said Hyderabad was one of the fastest growing cities in the country despite the economic slowdown and the impact of Covid-19 pandemic. He emphasised the need for a stable leadership to keep the city on the growth path. He stated that the GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) of Telangana State increased from Rs 1.12 lakh crore in 2013-14 to Rs 2.28 lakh crore recording 12.6 per cent growth against 9.2 per cent growth in national GDP during the corresponding period.
“In terms of GSDP, Telangana has climbed from 13th position to fifth position. Excluding smaller States like Goa and Delhi, Telangana stands in second spot next only to Karnataka whose GSDP is Rs 2.30 lakh crore,” he said.
Chandrashekhar Rao pointed out that there were no street fights for drinking water in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad as well as surrounding municipalities following implementation of Mission Bhagiratha. After the State formation, he said Hyderabad had attracted huge investments due to its conducive atmosphere, strict maintenance of law and order, and also political stability. He reiterated that there will be no compromise in terms of law and order especially women safety.
“We are second in the country in the IT sector. Many world’s prestigious companies have come to Hyderabad due to the State government’s initiatives like TS-iPASS, TS-bPASS and the Dharani portal which offer transparency and corruption-free services. Despite the Covid-19 impact on the economy, I assure you that the State government will continue with development works of basic infrastructure like markets, drinking water, roads, drainage and other amenities,” he assured.
Going beyond manifesto, TRS charts a new course
While most parties confine their promises to election manifestos that remain only on paper, the ruling TRS has not only implemented majority of its promises, but also initiated novel programmes which were not even mentioned in its 2016 GHMC election manifesto. Party leaders said it was a rare achievement for any political party and it proves the commitment of TRS towards development of Hyderabad.
To cite a few of these initiatives that went beyond election promises, the GHMC, in its efforts to extend quality medical services to the urban poor, established Basti Dawakhanas in different areas across the city. These wellness centres are proving to be very beneficial to the poor as over 1 lakh people are utilising the services including free diagnostic services. This apart, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB), has offered drinking water connections for just Rs 1.
Further, the cable stayed bridge constructed across Durgam Cheruvu which has not only cut short travel distance for many, but also turned out to be a major tourist spot is another major initiative that was not part of the promises. The bridge stands tall as an example of the commitment of TRS in development of Hyderabad on all fronts. The construction of link roads too was started during the current tenure of GHMC with 11 link roads completed and thrown open to public.
Benefiting lakhs of pregnant women in Hyderabad, the State government is implementing the KCR Kits scheme for them. There are numerous other schemes which will not be found in the election manifesto, but have been implemented in Hyderabad.
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