Telangana’s development is making people of other States demand mergers, says KTR

The Minister said Telangana’s welfare programmes like Aasara pensions, Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima and 24 hour free power supply to the farming community were not being implemented in any other State in the country.

RAJANNA-SIRCILLA: Impressed with Telangana’s welfare and development programmes, people in the neighbouring States of Maharashtra and Karnataka were demanding merger of their villages with the State, IT Minister KT Rama Rao said on Tuesday.

“As many as 14 villages from Maharashtra now want to get merged with Telangana. Similarly, people in Raichur apart from a MLA and Minister from Karnataka too have demanded merger with Telangana,” said Rama Rao, who inaugurated a newly constructed Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya at Rudrangi in Vemulawada constituency. It was constructed at a cost of Rs 3.50 crore.

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Addressing the public on the occasion, the Minister said Telangana’s welfare programmes like Aasara pensions, Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima and 24 hour free power supply to the farming community were not being implemented in any other State in the country.

In 2014, pensions were extended to 26 lakh persons and it had now been escalated to 46 lakh persons, besides increasing the pension amount to Rs.2,000. Likewise, in the past, the Rythu Bandhu assistance of Rs.65,000 crore was extended to 66 lakh farmers. This season, Rythu Bandhu would be extended from next Wednesday and Rs.7,600 crore would be offered to the farmers, he said.

“Unfortunately, all these works were not being noticed by the opposition parties. All they did was abuse and curse Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. Irrespective of their charges, you people should save him from their curses and bless him wholeheartedly,” the Minister said, adding that if the opposition parties were really committed to Telangana’s welfare, they should prevail upon their leadership and aid in implementing more welfare programmes to win the hearts of the people.