Working class exploited in BJP-ruled States: Harish Rao

Addressing May Day celebrations in Siddipet, Harish Rao said the Asha workers were being paid a meagre salary of Rs 3,000 in BJP-ruled States, while Asha workers in Telangana were getting much better remunerations

Siddipet: Finance Minister T Harish Rao said the working class was being exploited in States ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Addressing May Day celebrations in Siddipet on Monday, the Minister said the Asha workers were being paid a meagre salary of Rs.3,000 in BJP-ruled States, while Asha workers in Telangana were getting much better remunerations. Stating that the Centre was ignoring the rights of the working classes, the Minister said the working hours were increased to 10 hours. Beedi workers in BJP-ruled States were getting no pension while the Telangana government has been paying them pension. The world would come to a standstill if the working class stops discharging their duties, he said, adding that the Telangana government had set an example by protecting the rights of the workforce.

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Awareness programme on sheep distribution:

Harish Rao said he would meet all 17,000 beneficiaries under the Sheep Distribution progamme in the second phase over lunch in Siddipet. Since Telangana was earlier importing meat from other States, Rao said Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had decided to spend Rs.11,000 crore to make the State self-sufficient in meat. The government would spend Rs.405 crore in Siddipet district alone to distribute sheep to each and every eligible person.

He later distributed house site pattas under GO 58 and 59 to 145 beneficiaries.