KCR showers many goodies on Telangana

HYDERABAD: Announcing a platter of goodies for farmers, weaker sections, tribals and SC girls, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said people would see the 'Ugra Narasimha Avataram' of his as he is trying to cleanse the system and not target individuals.

Apart from debt waiver for 39 lakh farmers up to Rs 1 lakh each and restriction of fee reimbursement to Telangana students who seek admission to engineering colleges, the Telangana state cabinet meeting chaired by KCR here on Wednesday took several decision, including payment of Rs 50,000 to tribals and SC girls when they get married and lifting of cases registered against youth and students since 2001.

The marathan cabinet meeting which went on for more than five-and-a-half hours reviewed the promises made to the people in Telangana at the time of general elections and approved most of them. The remaining assurances will be implemented after two to three Cabinet meetings to be held very soon.

Briefing mediapersons on the cabinet decisions, Chandrasekhar Rao said the crop loan waiver would be applicable to the farmers who had borrowed by pledging gold also.

The ceiling will be Rs 1 lakh per farmer. The burden on the state government would be Rs 17,000 crore to Rs 19,000 crore. 'This is a huge burden on the government but we have decided in favour of it as it is a promise made to the people,' the Chief Minister said.

The cabinet directed the agriculture and finance departments to implement the debt waiver scheme immediately.

The state government scrapped the fee reimbursement scheme and introduced a new one 'Financial Assistance to Students of Telangana' (FAST).

The cabinet took the decision on expected lines. FAST will be available to students of parents who have settled in Telangana prior to 1956. 'The scheme would be available to the students who satisfy the nativity and family income norms,' Chandrasekhar Rao said.

Another major decision taken at the cabinet meeting was helping and SC and ST girls financially. Christened as 'Kalyana Lakshmi,' the girls would get Rs 50,000 as one-time financial help from the Telangana government. 'I am happy to announce this scheme,' he said.

In another decision, the cabinet approved proposal to name the present agriculture university after Prof K Jayashankar. The cabinet adopted another resolution to scrap motor vehicle tax on autos, tractors and trailers. This would benefit 5.17 lakh beneficiaries which will mean a loss of Rs 56 crore to the state exchequer. This apart, arrears which are Rs 76 crore have also been waived, he said.

Another decision that should cheer contract employees is regularisation of services of all the Telangana contract employees. Their number would be about 50,000.

As regards Wakf lands, the cabinet decided to set up a tribunal with judicial powers. The tribunal would be headed by a sessions judge. This measure is being taken to protect the wakf lands.

The Chief Minister said the cabinet had also approved the proposal to make the salaries of the state government employees on a par with those of the central government. 'I have asked the Chief Secretary to initiate a dialogue with employees' unions,' KCR said.

ON A T-PLATTER

Farmers' debt waiver up to `1 lakh. Burden: Rs 17,000 crore to Rs 19,000 crore. Number of beneficiaries: 39Lakh.

Financial assistance to students of T: Fee reimbursement to be made available to students of parents who have settled in Telangana prior to 1956.

Three acres of land to each Dalit family.

Special increment to Telangana employees

Central government pay-scales to State government employees

Old age pension to be Rs 1,000 per month.

Physically challenged persons' pension: Rs 1,500 per month.

Kalyan Lakshmi: A scheme under which tribal and SC girls would get Rs 50,000 as financial assistance from the government.

Case against those who took part in T movement since 2001 to be lifted.

Agriculture University to be named after Prof K Jaya Shankar

More than 50,000 Telangana contract employees to be regularised.

A tribunal to be set up to protect Wakf lands. It would be headed by a sessions judge.

MV Tax on autos, tractors and trailors to go.

Another master plan for

Hyderabad.

Batukamma and Bonalu are state festivals

Regularisation of around 40,000 contract employees

Tribal hamlets having 500 population are now panchayats

Committees with judges to study on providing reservation to Muslims and STs

Special Welfare Board for Gulf victims

Judicial status to Wakf Board to prevent alienation of lands

Toddy shops to be opened in Hyderabad by Dasara

Approval for State Advisory Council to government

Approval to set up TPSC

Approval for T State Election Commission