CM showers benefits on Goud community
5 acres, `5 crore to construct Gouda Bhavan in city
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, on Thursday, conferred benefits on the Goud community, who are dependent on traditional occupations for their livelihood. He has enhanced pensions for toddy tappers from `200 to `1,000 per month.
The CM has also announced a waiver of tax on palm trees and sanctioned 5 acres and `5 crores to construct a Gouda Bhavan in the city.
Mr Rao stated in the Legislative Assembly, “The TRS government is striving hard to strengthen and improve the financial standards of rural areas. The main focus is the development of agriculture and water resources as well as the encouragement of the traditional occupations. Many communities are dependent on the resources available in the rural areas to protect and improve their standard of living. The Goud community is one among these, living on their traditional occupation. The toddy tappers were badly neglected in the undivided state. The lack of understanding of Telangana culture had led to doubts about the very existence of the toddy profession.”
The Chief Minister also said that the Goud community had not received any support in the undivided state and that they had not even been allowed to live on their own. The toddy shops in Hyderabad had been closed to benefit the liquor lobby, and unfortunately, the TS leaders at the time had supported rather than objecting to such activities.
The arrears pending from 3 years before the formation of the state of Telangana, and which amounts to `6.38 crores, were paid by the TRS government all together, immediately after coming to power.
“We have increased the ex gratia amount. Earlier, it was `2 lakh in the case of death and `50,000 in the case of permanent disability. We have increased the amount in both cases to `5 lakh,” added the Chief Minister.
We have proposals to take up works at a cost of `20,000 un-der SRDP. These will be executed in a phas-ed manner to make Hy-derabad a global city
— K.T. RAMA RAO, TS minister