On this auspicious occasion, I convey my State Formation Day greetings to the entire Telangana people. On the occasion, I pay my respectable homage to all those sacrificed their lives for the formation of the State.
For what purpose did we lead the great movement and what dreams that we wanted to be realised in our own State, the Telangana State is marching towards the progressive path, fulfilling those aspirations and realising those dreams.
First in Revenue Growth Rate
Telangana is rich in its natural resources and endowed with prosperity. But the economic strength and growth of Telangana was pushed to oblivion during the United AP rule. I have repeatedly asserted during the Telangana movement that once separate Telangana state is formed it will be the richest in the country. The statements that I have made then have been proved literally correct now. In its recent report, CAG for the financial year 2017-18 stated that Telangana state stood first in the revenue growth rate in the country registering 17.82 per cent growth. We should all be proud of it and it is a good omen to us. I declare it proudly that it is due to proper policy planning, financial prudence and discipline of the government policies that the growth rate was achieved.
People’s Welfare
The Telangana state has also stood first in the country in not only creating prosperity and wealth but also sharing it with people based on equity and social justice. I am happy to say that the State has also became a role model for others in taking the results of development to lower rungs of the society.
After formation of the State, within a short span of time, Telangana government has given welfare to all. It has infused self-confidence and instilled self-respect among the poor. The government is spending Rs 40,000 Crore for 35 Welfare Schemes. A Lion’s share of the State’s income is being spent for the people’s welfare. The government is giving pension under Asara Scheme to 40 Lakh helpless individuals. For the marriage of daughters from the poor families, we are implementing Shaadi Mubarak/Kalyan Laxmi Schemes.
To the hungry poor, 6-Kgs of rice is given per member at a subsidised price of one Rupee per KG. To help the poor to live with dignity, 2 Bed Room Houses are given free of cost. For all the hostel students, fine rice is supplied for their meal. To impart international level education to the poor, newly 512 Residential Schools are set up. Let me share with you that on the lines of SC Degree Colleges for women, from next academic year, ST Degree Colleges will also be set up for ST girl students. For the benefit of SC/STs a Special Fund is created based on their population figures and special programmes are framed for the development and Welfare. We have identified the employees and workers at the field level and have increased their salaries by leaps and bounds. For the first time in independent India’s history, ours is the first government, which created a fund for Lawyers, and Journalists in the State’s Budget
Single women—KCR Kits
We are going to implement two schemes with a human angle for the poor women on the occasion of the state’s formation day. Pension for single women, who have no support, will be started from day after tomorrow and they will get Rs 1000 per month pension. I hope this pension will mitigate their difficulties and offer solace to them.
Rs 15,000 worth KCR Kits Scheme aimed at the well being of mother and child will come into force from tomorrow. Poor pregnant women are forced to go for work to eek out a living even though they are in advance stage of pregnancy. To stop them from going to work during their advance stage of pregnancies, to get them nutritious food and to take care of the new born after delivery, this scheme is designed. The pregnant women are given Rs 12,000 financial assistance in three phases. Incase the pregnant women gives birth to a baby girl Rs 1000 is given additionally. The idea is to encourage more and more deliveries in the government hospitals, reduce the infant mortality rate and female feticide. After the delivery for the well being of the mother and newborn the government is giving KCR Kit with 16 items. The Kit will have clothes, quality baby soaps, Baby oil, Baby powder, Mosquito net, toys, napkins, Diapers etc., which will be sufficient for three months. This is an affectionate gift given by the government to mother and child.
Development-Infrastructure facilities
We have registered excellent results in development and infrastructure along with welfare within a short time. The greatest achievement among all is the way the State created a miracle in the power sector and this is a living example. Soon after formation of the State, the greatest challenge before the government was that of the power crisis. We have successfully got over the crisis and we have come to a stage where we have no power cuts, instead we have uninterrupted quality power supply. We are setting up new power plants to make the State surplus in power generation in future. We are making serious efforts to provide 24 hours round the clock uninterrupted quality power supply to farmers this summer itself. I pray to God that it should be successful and put an end to the miseries faced by farmers for the past three decades.
To supply safe and pure drinking water at the doorstep of people we have launched Mission Bhagiratha Programme and works are going on war footing. By end of this December, river water will reach all the villages putting an end to the drinking water problem in the state once and for all.
On the other hand we are developing roadways in and around the state in all corners. We are developing the transport sector in a big way for the safety and comfortable travel of the people. The TS IPASS innovative industrial policy of the government has been yielding good results and it is attracting huge investments into the State. The Telangana State stood first in Ease of Doing Business in the country. The state government has several innovative programmes in the IT Sector; as a result, investments and industrial production registered high percentage in the sector. The third phase of Haritha Haram programme aimed at increasing the green cover in the state by planning 230 Crore saplings will begin next month. I appeal to people in the state to participate actively with enthusiasm in the programme.
Strengthening rural economy
We can achieve wonderful results if only we can utilise the human resources available in villages. The government has formulated several schemes to strengthen the rural economy. We have made a comprehensive plan to develop the agricultural economy which is backbone to the rural areas while offering financial support to the agro based activities and there by putting the villages on the progressive path. No one till date had formulated any permanent and scientific plans, solutions to the problems faced by the agriculture community. Always there are empty phrases like “Farmer is the king”. No concerted efforts have ever been made and no proper measures are taken to reform the farm sector. The Telangana agriculture sector was pushed into a crisis due to the discrimination it suffered during the united AP rule. As soon as the Telangana government took over, it started making committed attempts to come to the rescue of farmers. For the first time in the country, Rs 17,000 Crore crop loans of 35. 30 Lakh farmers is waived. Mission Kakatiya program with tremendous spirit and missionary zeal is going on to revive and rejuvenate 46, 000 tanks all over the state. Already during the last two years 16, 000 tanks were rejuvenated. This year work is on to revive 5, 000 more tanks. Tanks revived under Mission Kakatiya are brimming with water and there is increase in the ground water table. This has resulted in change of life and atmosphere in the villages.
In the past, farmers had to suffer for seeds and fertilisers. The Telangana state government is keeping the seeds and fertilizers and stocked them before hand and to make them available at the doorstep of farmers. Now there is no scarcity of seed and fertiliser. We are giving huge subsidies for poly houses, Green house cultivation. For micro irrigation, 100 percent subsidy is given to SC/STs, 90 percent to others. We have constructed godowns with huge capacity to store the agriculture produce. At the time of formation of state, 179 Godowns with capacity of 4 lakh Metric tonnes were there, but now we have constructed 364 more Godowns with a capacity of 17.07 lakhs of Metric Tons. Overall now we have godowns with a capacity of 22.5 Lakh tones. We are giving tractors on subsidy to farmers and transport tax has been waived for tractors used in the farming sector.
Plans for profitable agriculture
The measures and actions so far initiated and implemented are not just adequate to make agriculture profit oriented and no more as a waste. To make agriculture profitable the state government has done lot of thinking and had extensive discussions with Agriculture Scientists and farmers. Based on this, the government a meticulous plan of action to be implemented.
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Organizing the farmers together under one platform
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Providing water to the lands by completing the irrigation projects at the earliest
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Giving Rs 8000 input costs for two crops per acre
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Supplying uninterrupted and quality power
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Creating Crop Colonies in the state
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Ensuring Minimum Support Price for the crop
These are the six issues for which the government made comprehensive plans.
Every manufacturer and producer has the right fix the price of his product or produce where as in case of the farmer it is otherwise. The price of agriculture produce is fixed by the middlemen. The reason for this is that farmers are not organized themselves. The government has drawn plans to organize them. For every 5000 Acres, now there is one Agriculture Extension Officer. They are now visiting villages and conducting survey on the quality of soil, weather conditions, moisture in air, availability of water, and data on farmers. Once the survey is over, village level Farmers’ Associations will be formed. From village to the Mandal, then to the district and then finally to State level farmers’ Federations will be set up. The Farmers’ Federations will help the farmers to get better yields and MSP for their produce.
Despite attempts by certain vested interests to put spokes, the government is bent upon completing all the irrigation projects, by allocating Rs 25,000 Crore per year in the budgets. Efforts are afoot to supply 24-hour free and quality power to the farmer from this summer. We are going to give Rs 8000 per acre for two crops from next year as the input expenditure. Based on the soil testing, availability of water, weather conditions, the government will identify on what crop to sow where and divide the State into Crop Colonies. This will ensure that all farmers will not go in for the same crop and prevent them incurring losses. The Farmers’ Federation will be given Rs 500 Core Corpus Fund to intervene in the market when the prices are low. I call upon the farmers to become partners with commitment in the programmes being implemented by the State Government, which no other government ever did in the country. The farmers should work towards becoming role models to others in the country.
Encouraging hereditary professions
In rural areas, along with agriculture there will be many who are depended on their hereditary professions and trades. Several hereditary professions have lost their relevance as times passed by and faced extinction. But there are still many more hereditary professions, which do exist even today which however due to lack of support and encouragements, are in crisis. The stare government has decided to offer help and support to these professions and bring light into the lives of people living on these professions. For the first time in the country, budgetary allocations are made for these trades and professions and these programs are designed for them.
This month we are starting a scheme under which Yadavas and Kurumas are given 75 per cent subsidy to set up Sheep units. For this registration of membership in the Sheep rearing Cooperative Societies is in full swing in the state. Arrangements have been made to provide 24 sheep as a unit to all the eligible members. I am happy to announce that we are buying and distributing 84 Lakh Sheep with an investment of Rs 5, 000 Crores to Yadav and Kuruma families. This scheme will result in accumulation of wealth worth Rs 20,000 Crore! for Yadav and Kuruma families. By taking up sheep breeding on large scale, not only Telangana State will become self-sufficient in its need for meat but will be in a position to export it to other states and countries.
The government has also initiated measures to better the lives of fishermen by utilising the water available at reservoirs, new projects for fish culture. The government has started a scheme in which the government will put the investment but the profit is shared by Bestha, Mudiraj communities. We have made a comprehensive plan for the well being of handloom sector. We have decided to give 50 percent subsidy on Yarn and Chemicals and we have ordered that the cloth made from the handlooms should be purchased by the government. This program has given tremendous confidence among the handloom workers. The government is going to give Rs one lakh for Nayi Brahmins to set up modern Saloons in the State. The washermen will be given modern washing machines and for goldsmiths the government will give financial assistance and tools that they require. The government will also help those who want to switch their professions. To encourage hereditary profession of toddy tappers, the government has undertaken planting of Toddy and palm trees on a large scale in crores. For the Most backward classes, Nomadic tribes, the government has set up a finance corporation with Rs 1000 Crore Budget.
Conclusion
“I pray to God that schemes of drinking water, water for irrigation, infrastructure, power and Welfare schemes should be successfully implemented and make people to lead a happy and prosperous life and I seek His blessings for this.”
To quote Maha Kavi Dasaradhi Krishnamacharya which always linger in my mind …….“How far is the new age where there are no one with hunger and destitute?
When will there be a time where there are no famine and starvation?”.
As dreamed by the poet, I will work with dedication, with utmost commitment, relentlessly working for the welfare state combined with my thought, words and action. I once again convey my greeting to the people in the state on the occasion of formation Day.
