No State can match Telangana schemes: Errabelli

“No State in the country has implemented a scheme such as Aasara pensions,” he said during question hour in the State Legislative Assembly on Monday.

Hyderabad: Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao said no other State in the country can match Telangana State in extending pensions to different sections of the society. “No State in the country has implemented a scheme such as Aasara pensions,” he said during question hour in the State Legislative Assembly on Monday.

The Minister said the Telangana government was spending Rs 11,724 crore per year towards implementation of the scheme that was benefitting as many as, 39,36,521 persons. Of these, the Central government contribution is a mere Rs 210 crore which benefits only about 6 lakh people in the State, the Minister said.

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Responding to TRS MLA Padma Devender Reddy’s query, Dayakar Rao said there was some delay in conducting camps for new enrolments in the Aasara scheme due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “The government is examining various aspects for new enrolments into the scheme,” he assured.

Ready to meet peak power demand, says Jagdish

Energy Minister G Jagdish Reddy said all arrangements are in place to meet the additional peak demand of 1,000 MW during summer in the State and appealed to the people not to be worried about the power supply. The State successfully met the peak demand of 13,462 MW, which is equivalent to the peak demand of undivided Andhra Pradesh, following various interventions, the Minister said during question hour in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

The Minister said the Central government was working on making the installation of meters mandatory and the State government has already responded to this move by explaining its stand. The State government is already extending a lot of benefits to different categories and all these aspects were conveyed to the Central government, he said. “Irrespective of the Central government’s intentions, the State government will protect the interests of farmers,” Jagdish Reddy said and appealed to the farming community not to get worried over the issue.

Explaining the results of utilisation of non-conventional (renewable energy) resources, he said Telangana generated nearly 4,000 MW of solar energy during 2019-20. This is much higher than 72 MW generated in 2014, he said.

179 cr saplings planted so far: Indrakaran

Forest and Environment Minister A Indrakaran Reddy said that till date, 179 crore saplings were planted under the Haritha Haram programme in the State, besides the rejuvenation of 38 crore seedlings under the programme. This amounts to a total achievement of 217 crore seedlings as against the target of 230 crore saplings plantation set by Chief Minister
K Chandrashekhar Rao as part of the programme. The balance plantations will be completed by this year, he said during question hour in the Legislative Assembly.

“Not confining to the plantation, priority was accorded to ensuring the survival of saplings through different initiatives, which resulted in 85 per cent survival of saplings,” he said. In response to TRS MLA Ajmeera Rekha’s appeal to install fencing around 1 lakh plantations taken up by the government at Dasturabad, the Minister said the exercise will be taken up and also assured to develop it into a Grameen park on the lines of urban parks. He said the park would be named after Chandrashekhar Rao as desired by the TRS MLA.

12 lakh people under EHS: Eatala

Health Minister Eatala Rajender said only Rs 37 crore arrears have to be cleared under the Employees Health Scheme and all the accumulated arrears are being cleared quarterly every year. He said the EHS was being extended to three categories — employees, retired employees, and journalists. About 12 lakh persons are covered under the scheme, he said during question hour in the Legislative Assembly.

The State government was spending about Rs 300 crore to Rs 350 crore annually towards the implementation of the scheme, the Minister said. In reply to Congress MLA D Sridhar Babu’s comments that persons admitted into private and corporate hospitals under the EHS were being extended step-motherly treatment, the Minister said the issue was being regularly discussed with hospital managements. He also admitted that employees’ unions have approached the Ministry about their willingness to extend a contribution of Rs 500 monthly from their salaries towards the scheme and the matter will be taken up with Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao shorty.