Guv praises KCR govt for welfare schemes
■ Narasimhan says sops boosted people’s self-confidence
Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan said the state government’s welfare schemes had created a sense of self-confidence and security among the people. “With the benedictions of the people who were benefited by the welfare measures, the TRS returned to power for a second term, with a much higher majority in this House,” the Governor said in his adress to the joint sitting of the Legislative Council and Assembly on Saturday.
“My government registered great success in robust administrative policies, strict financial discipline and corruption-free governance. This has resulted in substantive growth in state tax and non-tax revenues. Telangana has achieved one of the highest growth rates in the country,” Mr Narasimhan said.
He noted that the state had achieved 17.17 per cent compound annual revenue growth rate between 2014 and 2018. During 2018-19, the growth rate so far stands at 29.93 per cent. Even in GST collections, TS stands first among all states in the country.”
The Governor spoke extensively on the initiatives taken up by the government from 2014 to 2018 in the irrigation, power, education and health sectors and welfare schemes, including Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bhima, Asara pensions, double bedroom houses and Kanti Velugu, sheep distribution and fish seeding and prawn seeding in all water bodies.
He recalled that the people of Telangana had achieved a separate state for themselves after six decades of relentless struggle. The first-ever government was formed in June 2014 under the leadership of Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao who spearheaded the Telangana Movement.
He said, “Taking into consideration the dimension of neglect of resources and culture in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh, my government commenced its well-planned journey in earnest keeping in mind existent conditions. The process of reconstruction was taken up straightaway.”
He assured, “My government is committed to implementing all the promises made during the elections.”
He said that the government would continue to raise the demand with the Central government for 10 per cent reservation to STs and 12 per cent reservation to minorities and for the SC categorisation resolution.
The Governor said the government had strengthened the hereditary professions that had become extinct. Several programmes were initiated to provide employment opportunities to youth through expansion of industrial and IT sectors.
He said due to strengthening of police, the law and order situation was on an efficient and effective track.