Take welfare schemes to doorsteps: KCR

Hyderabad, April 17 (INN): Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has urged the District Collectors to exhibit same enthusiasm as with the State Government in implementing the welfare schemes in the State.

Addressing the inaugural session of two-day Collectors Conference at Hotel Marriot here on Friday, the Chief Minister exhorted the officials to take the welfare schemes to the door steps of poor beneficiaries. He said unlike previous regimes, who allocated just Rs 8,700 crore on welfare, the Telangana Government has allocated over Rs 27,000 crore for the welfare of different sections of the society.

Chief Secretary Dr Rajiv Sharma, DGP Anurag Sharma, ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, Government Secretaries, Collectors, Joint Collectors, SPs, Zilla Parishad Chairmen, Mayors, GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar, Police Commissioners of Hyderabad and Cyberabad and other senior officials were present in the meeting.

In the morning session of Day - 1, issues including Municipal Administration, Water Grid, Aasra Pension and Swachch Telangana were discussed in the Collectors conference. The Principal Secretaries have presented reports on the functioning of their respective departments. The Chief Minister, along with his Council of Ministers, intervened on several issues and gave his suggestions.

The Chief Minister advised officials to observe one day in a week as Urban Day and another as Rural Day and focus their attention to resolve the problems being faced by the people living in those areas. He said every house must have a toilet while community toilets should also be constructed wherever required. He said that the government would provide Rs 12,000 for construction of individual toilets and Rs 65,000 for community toilets.

The Chief Minister said that nearly 41.5% people in Telangana live in urban areas and this number is likely to cross 50% soon. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve living conditions in urban areas on the lines of Rio de Janeiro. Dumping yards, crematorium, burial grounds, markets, parks and other facilities should be created on immediate basis. Asking the officials to act tough against encroachments, he said every inch of government land should be put to public use. He said dumping yards should be established in towns like Warangal, Karimnagar, Khammam, Nizamabad and Ramagundem.

KCR also asked the officials to ensure timely completion of Water Grid project. He said that the District Collectors should not hesitate to invoke "Right To Way" Act wherever necessary. He also advised the officials to implement the Aasra pension schemes in a transparent and efficient manner.

The Chief Minister directed the District Collectors to make use of Rs 10 crore contingency funds to resolve the urgent needs in their respective districts.

KCR also directed the officials to accord top priority to law and order in the State. He said growth and development in Telangana was not possible without having total peace and law and order.