TRS manifesto : To benefit over 1.2 cr more people in addition to current 1.5 cr in State

Reaching out to the unreached, the TRS manifesto, unveiled by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, has targeted direct benefit to over 1.2 crore more people in the State.

This will be in addition to about 1.5 crore beneficiaries who had already been reaping the benefits under the multiple State-sponsored schemes. With much more expected from the final manifesto due to be released after Dasara, the TRS, thanks to its strong loyalty enjoyed by the State’s electorate, stands in great advantage over its rivals in the run-up to the polls.

The projected total population of Telangana is about 3.8 crore as per 2018 estimations of the Election Commission of India.

Chief Minister and TRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao on Tuesday announced 10 major schemes revealing partial manifesto of the TRS. Notable among them are farm loan waiver, unemployment dole, relaxation of age limit for old-age pensions, honorarium for Rythu Samanvaya Samithis (RSS) members, double bedroom houses, subsidised loans for women Self Help Groups (SHGs) for setting up food processing units, among others.

Loan waiver
Nearly 45.5 lakh of 72 lakh-odd farmers availed crop loans and around 42 lakh farmers obtained loans of less than Rs 1 lakh. The Chief Minister announced that the TRS government will waive all these loans. Further, about 49.49 lakh farmers in the State are already benefiting from Rythu Bandhu benefits and the TRS party has promised to enhance input assistance under the scheme from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per acre, per annum. Farmers who are members of Rythu Samanvaya Samithis numbering 1.62 lakh will also receive honorariums.

Under the social welfare schemes, the decision to hike Aasara pensions from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,016 for differently-abled persons and from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,016 for other beneficiaries would directly benefit nearly 40 lakh existing beneficiaries. In addition, another 8 lakh people will benefit from the old-age pensions following relaxation of age limit from 65 years to 57 years proposed by the TRS after returning to power.

In-depth research
The TRS Manifesto Committee worked out the schemes after in-depth study of the government records and the Integrated Household Survey (IHHS) conducted by the State government among others. As per the IHHS estimations, there are about 11-12 lakh unemployed youth in the State who will now benefit from the unemployment dole scheme (Rs 3,016 per month). Similarly, around 8.25 lakh families from poor families are in need of houses under the double-bedroom housing scheme. The TRS government’s plans to facilitate establishment of at least one food processing unit for every two Assembly constituencies, is also likely to benefit at around 2-3 lakh women of 70 lakh members of women SHGs.

As per government records, the TRS government has extended welfare benefits to about 1.5 crore individuals directly, where about 45 per cent of the State population had benefited from a minimum of three TRS government programmes. In many cases, the individuals have reaped benefits of 15 government schemes.

In fact, individual beneficiaries of various government programmes when tallied, total up to a massive 6,92,46,598, which is nearly twice the 3.8 crore population in the State. The State government is estimated to have pumped in a whopping Rs 2,18,377 crore into these 40 major schemes and programmes in the last four and half years.

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Farm loan waiver to increase in Rythu Bandhu incentive: TRS releases partial manifesto

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Tuesday announced a basic outline of its manifesto for the upcoming elections in the state, with caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao holding a three-hour long meeting with the party’s Manifesto Committee at Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, KCR said, “We discussed several issues pertaining to the people. We took into consideration what the people want and what their main demands were. Instead of looking for votes, we took a rational approach and saw what the need of the hour is. Whatever we promise, we will fulfill.”

Highlighting the achievements of his government, he also lashed out at opposition parties, saying, “Whatever people say, we are the ones who fought for Telangana.”

For farmers, KCR said that the TRS would waive off agricultural loans worth Rs 1 lakh while adding that it would increase the incentive under the ‘Rythu Bandhu’ scheme to Rs 10,000 per acre of land. A recently-launched flagship scheme of the government, Rythu Bandhu gives farmers an incentive of Rs 4,000 for each acre of land as investment for the crop.

The TRS also promised to promote food processing units with the help of subsidies, which it claimed will also indirectly help farmers. “To stop adulteration, we’ll engage women in the food processing industry. Every constituency will have a food processing unit,” KCR said.

Speaking about the Aasara Pension scheme, a welfare scheme which provides pension to certain sections of the society, KCR said that close to 40 lakh people were already benefiting under the programme. “We’ll decrease the age limit to 57. This will result in 8 lakh more people getting added to the scheme. The cost will increase, but we will bear it. Pension amount will also increase from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,016. Meanwhile, for people with disabilities, the amount will be increased to Rs 3,016 from Rs 1,500,” KCR said.

The caretaker CM also said that a ‘growth engine’ would be established for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe people in the state and an amount of Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore for the same. He also assured that a corporation would be set up for the Reddy and Vyshya community.

He also said that after further discussion, the TRS would come out with a more detailed manifesto.

The state Legislative Assembly was dissolved on September 6 after Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan accepted a recommendation by the state cabinet. Immediately after meeting the Governor, KCR met with reporters at Telangana Bhavan on the same day and released a list of 105 TRS candidates. What was especially seen as a political gamble, was the party chief’s decision to renominate almost all sitting MLAs.

While the TRS won 63 seats out of the total 119 in the Legislative Assembly during the 2014 elections, it presently has close to 90 MLAs in its party after a series of defections. There has been some infighting within the party since the announcement of the candidates, and KCR’s son and caretaker Minister KT Rama Rao has been put in charge internally to pacify all agitated leaders.

The elections for the 119-member Legislative Assembly is scheduled to be held on December 7 and the counting will take place on December 11.

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Unemployment dole and other welfare measures in TRS manifest

IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao on Saturday stated that the ensuing elections were referendum to the TRS government’s development agenda and Congress party’s credibility among people. He assured that the TRS would develop Vemulawada into a temple city over the next four-five years after retaining power in the State.

Addressing the Congress and BJP leaders from erstwhile Karimnagar district who joined TRS at his camp office in Hyderabad on Saturday, Rama Rao dared the Congress leadership to declare that the elections were a referendum to their work and credibility as the main Opposition party in the State. “In the past four and half years, the TRS government took up several development projects and welfare schemes. Rather than playing the role of main Opposition entrusted by the people of the State, the Congress leaders were interested only in obstructing the development projects by the TRS government. People will teach them a lesson for their deeds,” he predicted.

The Minister lashed out at the Congress and BJP for injustice done to Telangana State over several decades. He held the Congress responsible for sad condition of the region, he blamed the BJP government for injustice done to the State in the last four and half years. He accused BJP National President Amit Shah for taking credit for the State development without even fulfilling the promises made under Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. “People of Telangana do not believe in communal and religious politics. Instead, they believe in development. The TRS government had not only ensured religious equality but also took up numerous development programmes which will won support from people in a large scale,” he added.

Rama Rao said an action plan has been prepared for development of Sri Rajarajeswara Swamy temple at Vemulawada besides laying foundation for several development programmes including Outer Ring Road, new bus terminal and tourism projects. He assured that the temple city will be developed on all spheres over next four-five years. He reiterated that TRS leadership does not fear Delhi-based politics as its bosses were people on the streets of Telangana State.

TRS candidate from Vemulawada Chennamaneni Ramesh and several other senior TRS leaders were present. BJP Karimnagar Parliamentary Constituency convener Y Srinivasa Rao, Congress senior leader Sridhar Rao, Rajanna-Siricilla district BJYM secretary Shashank and 300 others Congress and BJP leaders as well as activists joined TRS on the occasion.

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TRS will sweep Telangana Elections 2018-Survey Reports

According to survey reports by C- Voter, Times Now and ITTech Group and other agencies, CM K Chandrashekhar Rao and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi is all set to win the 2018 elections. Most survey reports predict a clear win for the TRS and that they would sweep the Telangana assembly elections for the second time. Among the five states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana that are getting ready for November-December 2018 elections, Congress is likely to win in two states and this could see the resurgence of Congress Party in the Lok Sabha elections as well.

Telangana: Out of the 119 assembly seats two surveys conducted separately by former Congress MP Lagadapati Rajgopal’s Flash Team and VDA Associates predict that the TRS would win 85 seats Out of the 119 assembly seats, Congress would get 18 seats, MIM would retain their 7 seats, while the BJP and other parties might win 4 seats.

Coming back to the state of Telangana 44 to 48 per cent favoured the TRS, while 30 to 34 per cent said they would vote for the Congress. 7 to 9 per cent of the respondents said they would vote for the BJP, while only 2 per cent said their vote was for the TDP which means a clear win for the TRS in its second innings at the polls.

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TRS questions Congress volte-face

The TRS struck at the very foundation of the Congress-led ‘Mahakutami’ on Monday, questioning the premise on which the ‘unholy’ alliance was formed.

In a series of tweets, IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao asserted that the TRS entered into an alliance with the Congress and Telugu Desam Party in 2004 and 2009, respectively, only after the two parties agreed in writing to the main demand of statehood for Telangana.

“What’s the basis for the hypocritical alliance of TDP & INC now in Telangana? Other than sheer opportunism & power mongering,” Rama Rao tweeted, ridiculing the coming together of Congress, TDP, CPI and the TJS under the Mahakutami umbrella.

The Minister also recalled Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu’s 2014 tweet where he said: “Our aim is to make nation free of corrupt Congress. Will do whatever is best to ensure it.”

“Famous last words. Another pearl of wisdom from CBN Garu,” the Minister wrote on his Twitter handle. The Minister went on to slam the alliance, stating: “If Scamgress leaders Rahul & Sonia didn’t do squat for Telangana development till 2014, what changed since then? So the “Italian Mafia Raj” (as described below) has new friends now. Guess who it is? Now you know why I call it #MahaGhatiyaBandhan.”

Earlier in the day, Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao also sought to deflate the perceived hype over Mahakutami with a missive loaded with a dozen questions.

Harish’s posers

In a four-page open letter to TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Harish Rao, coming down heavily on the ‘unholy’ alliance, asked the latter to clarify whether the Congress-TDP-CPI-TJS alliance was conditional. “Did the TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu give an assurance that he would give up his anti-Telangana stand and has he agreed to withdraw cases/objections raised against irrigation projects taken up by the Telangana government, before you agreed to enter into an alliance with him,” the Minister asked.

The Minister, who released the letter to the media at a press conference here, said the people of Telangana were upset with the alliance as they fear Naidu will continue with his arm-twisting tactics to influence decisions of the Telangana government in favour of Andhra Pradesh, especially with regard to river water sharing. He raised pending issues between the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments pertaining to irrigation projects, returning seven mandals in erstwhile Khammam district to Telangana, and division of the High Court and other assets. On all these issues, Naidu has been adamant and was not extending any cooperation to get them resolved, he said, wondering what then was the objective behind the alliance.
Charge against Cong

“Congress leaders have compromised the future of the State to fulfil their political ambitions by entering into an alliance with Naidu. The TDP president vehemently opposed statehood for Telangana and continues to hinder development in Telangana State by raising objections and filing cases against our irrigation projects and other programmes,” the Minister said.

Harish Rao accused Naidu of acting against the interests of Telangana and doubted if the latter would change his stand, considering his political interests in Andhra Pradesh. He pointed out that due to similar political interests of Andhra leaders, people of Telangana suffered in undivided Andhra Pradesh for six decades, prompting the TRS to fight for separate Telangana State. “As a responsible political party, Congress should clarify on these issues and convince Naidu to address these issues under their Common Minimum Programme before fighting the elections,” he demanded.

Advice to Kodandaram

Harish Rao stated that Naidu was allying with the Telangana Congress and other parties to influence the Telangana administration in favour of Andhra Pradesh. He advised Telangana Jana Samithi president M Kodandaram not to ally with TDP and put the fate of four crore people in Telangana State in the hands of Naidu.

Government Chief Whip in Council Paturi Sudhakar Reddy, Whip Bodakunti Venkateshwarlu and former MLAs Madan Reddy and Chinta Prabhakar were present.

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TRS leaders carry out door-to-door campaign in Yellareddy

Zaheerabad MP BB Patil and Yellareddy TRS candidate Enugu Ravinder Reddy jointly conducted a door-to-door campaign in Mallupet village in Yellareddy constituency.

The villagers welcomed them into the village with ‘harathi’. Zaheerabad MP BB Patil said Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao was striving hard for achieving Bangaru Telangana. He had been going all out to provide safe drinking water through Mission Bhagiratha scheme besides developing roads, providing 24-hour power to the agriculture sector, issuing pensions to various categories of people — widows, elderly, beedi workers and single women. He said the State government, for the benefit of farmers, was providing Rs 8,000 financial assistance per acre per year, issuing Rs 5 lakh worth insurance and also constructing Kaleshwaram and other irrigation projects.

Besides this, the State government had been implementing 465 other schemes for the benefit of the people. Patil asked the people of Yellareddy to once again give a chance to TRS candidate Enugu Ravinder Reddy, keeping all these schemes in mind. Ravinder Reddy said Telangana people had only faced hardships in the regimes of the Congress and the TDP. The development achieved by the TRS government in the last four and a half years is more than that of the 60-year rule by the Congress and the TRS. He requested the people to give a clear mandate to the TRS for the bright future of the State.

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Confident that next CM of Telangana would be K C R, says AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi

Following the announcement of the poll schedule for Telangana, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen President Asaduddin Owaisi said he is confident that the next CM of Telangana would be K Chandrashekar Rao. Expressing confidence that people will vote for his party candidates he urged people to come out and vote in large numbers.

The Election Commission of India on Saturday announced the election schedule for the Assembly Elections of five states- Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, and Telangana. Telangana will have a single phase election on December 7. After the announcement, Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar laid down rules to be followed after Model Code of Conduct (MCC) comes into force.

He ordered all political posters, banners, and advertisements on all government properties to be removed in the next 24 hours and similar material from public places to be cleared within 48 hours. The use of official vehicles has also been banned for political parties and election candidates reported PTI.

BJP chief Amit Shah has already sounded the poll bugle and will address a meeting on October 10 at Karimnagar. Polling in Rajasthan and Telangana will be held on December 7, Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat said in New Delhi.

The BJP and ruling TRS welcomed the announcement of the schedule for the Legislative Assembly elections in Telangana while Congress, on the other hand, referred to a matter related to alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls in the High Court though added it is ready for the polls.

While Chhattisgarh will go to the polls in two phases on November 12 and 20, the Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram Assembly elections will be held on November 28.

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Telangana at forefront in healthcare: KTR

Minister KT Rama Rao says State government spending Rs 7,000 crore annually; praises Health Minister for his efforts

Hyderabad: The Telangana government was at the forefront of providing such healthcare, which has not been done by the public sector in the country, to the people of the State, Minister KT Rama Rao said on Sunday.

Addressing a meeting of Ayush doctors in the city, Rama Rao said the endeavour of TRS, in the future, would be to build on the work done so far with regard to healthcare and further provide improved and better medical services to the people.

A large number of Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathy doctors from different districts of the State attended the ‘Ayush Doctors with KTR’ meeting. Rama Rao in his address, which touched upon the various path-breaking healthcare initiatives of the Telangana government, said the State was spending Rs 7,000 crore a year on healthcare.

He also heaped praise on Health Minister Dr C Laxma Reddy under whose stewardship, medical services and facilities in Telangana practically leapfrogged on several fronts. It was the vision of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao who wanted top-of-the-range medical care to be made available even to the poor and Dr Laxma Reddy worked hard to make this happen, Rama Rao said.

For instance, Area hospitals in the State did not have intensive care units. The previous governments were insensitive to the health needs of the people until Laxma Reddy became Health Minister. Not just that, many hospitals also now have neo-natal ICUs, he said.

Similarly, the credit for starting blood banks at hospitals across the State goes to the Health Department and TRS government. Among the facilities that were created were also the 40 dialysis centres at government hospitals, which are the only ones in the country to use single use disposable items. It was the Chief Minister’s goal of good healthcare that such developments were possible, Rama Rao said.

The Chief Minister demonstrated what a humanitarian government can achieve, he said. Thanks to programmes such as Amma Vodi, institutional deliveries increased from 30 per cent to 50 per cent in the State. This resulted in elimination of unnecessary caesarean operations and hysterectomies, which were being performed under the Arogyasri scheme just so that hospitals could make money of hapless women, Rama Rao said.

Referring to the Kanti Velugu scheme, he said very few States had interventions on to improve healthcare for the poor and needy on this scale. “There is much more to be done and we will improve the services further”, he added.

Referring to some issues raised by Ayush doctors, Rama Rao said a meeting can be arranged with some Ayush fraternity representatives where these can be discussed in detail. He also said the demand for a bridge course for Ayush doctors, who may want to also acquire an Allopathic medicine degree, would be explored. “Laxma Reddy is an Ayush doctor and is a credit for us. I am sure he will solve the problems or challenges faced by you,” Rama Rao said.

Referring to possible confusion amidst the political heat related to elections, he said, “The tu tu main main, tu kitta main kitta, dekhlenge dekhlenge, will go on. I have faith that the people are with us. TRS implemented many programmes for improving education, health and development for providing immediate relief to the poor as well meet long-term needs of the people and the next generations to come,” Rama Rao said.

Referring to the peaceful atmosphere prevalent in the State, Rama Rao said in the pat, every year curfew somewhere or the other was being clamped. “But under a secular Chief Minister who practises his faith, but also treats every other religion and belief with all the respect they deserve, there has been peace in every corner of Telangana,” he said.

Laxma Reddy said the Chief Minister’s schemes and plans in all sectors made the rest of India look at Telangana for inspiration. The Chief Minister was giving a lot of importance to healthcare for the poor, he said.

Lok Sabha member B Vinod Kumar said under the TRS government, people’s faith in government hospitals increased many fold. “Telangana is the capital of Ayush streams and there is also a need for more research in these fields,” he added

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Telangana Polls: How the youngest state voted last time

Elections to the legislative assembly of Telangana, the country’s youngest state, will be held on December 7. The previous elections were held in April-May 2014 along with the Lok Sabha elections, and the state formally came into being on June 2.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi led by K Chandrashekar Rao secured the majority with 63 seats in the 120*-member house.

A look at the parties’ seat tally and victory margins…

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December polls favourable to TRS, says KCR

Telangana Caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao told his cabinet ministers that the December elections in the state would be favourable to their Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

KCR discussed the issue of early election and required poll strategies with senior leaders after the Election Commission of India announced the poll schedule for the five states including Telangana.

He said the poll schedule came out as per his expectations and now the party leaders should begin giving major focus to poll preparations in all the districts and on how to go about intensifying campaign by holding public meetings to cover every assembly segment.

TRS has already announced names of its candidates for 105 out of the total 119 segments. The names for remaining 14 segments will be announced in three to four days.

While TRS is marching ahead in high speed, Congress and its Mahakutami (Grand Alliance) partners are still struggling to reach an agreement on seat sharing and finalisation of contesting candidates.

Congress leaders like Revanth Reddy and DK Aruna are hogging limelight by attacking KCR in strong language but that was not enough as there were issues like seat adjustments and also that of Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) led by activist Kodandaram seeking more seats.

Some leaders like Marri Sasidhar Reddy have complained against irregularities in preparation of voter lists by TRS leaders in Hyderabad and other places and the issue was raised before the court. It showed the anxiety and unpreparedness of Congress to make a full-fledged attack on TRS.

Moreover, AP CM Chandrababu’s announcement that his party may be called a part of Mahakutami and not to be termed as an ally of Congress came as a disheartening news for Grand Alliance. Chandrababu has also ruled out possible alliance with Congress in AP in 2019 elections.

Seeing all this, analysts feel that the Mahakutami is all likely to face more serious problems in coming days.

Obviously, KCR is giving one blow after another to rivals by coming out with his surprise strategies.

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