Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan did not shy away from lauding the people's decision in the recent Assembly elections.
Published Feb 08, 2024 | 6:32 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 08, 2024 | 6:32 PM
Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan’s address to the Budget session of the Telangana Legislature on Thursday, 8 February, provided a glimpse into the upcoming proceedings — an atmosphere of rancour and bedlam.
Embarking on her address, the Governor invoked the words of the renowned Telangana poet Padma Vibhushan Kaloji Narayana Rao. In translating his verse into English, she says that the days are long gone when one could earn illegally and indiscriminately, taking advantage of the power one has.
It was evident that this was an indirect jab at former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao and his government, accused by the ruling party of accumulating riches through dubious methods.
Governor Soundararajan did not shy away from lauding the people’s decision in the recent Assembly elections, emphasising, “The recent elections marked a decisive moment, a collective call for change and equitable progress. The message was clear and resonant, the people of Telangana yearned for freedom, democracy, and governance that reflected their aspirations.”
Her words resonated with echoes of her past address at the first session of the state’s third Assembly after the Congress assumed power — enter democracy, exit tyranny — an assertion likely to perturb the Opposition BRS.
Commending the people for their decisive vote, she declared, “The verdict became a cornerstone for civil rights and democratic rule. The rechristened Jyotirao Phule Praja Bhavan is now open for the public to access and ventilate their grievances. The Telangana government is now by the people, and for the people.”
Governor Soundararajan acknowledged Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for “articulating the government’s commitment to serve,” provocatively touching a nerve within the Opposition party. She said, “The Prajavani programme, the government’s first step in this direction, embodies the essence of people’s governance, providing a platform for citizens to express their concerns and seek redressal.”
Addressed the Joint Session of #Telangana State Legislative & Council #Assembly as a part of upcoming 2024 budget session.
Hon'ble Speaker,Hon'ble Council Chairman,Hon'ble @TelanganaCMO Shri.Revanth Reddy Garu,Hon'ble Ministers,Legislative Members & Council Members of Telangana… pic.twitter.com/EwQ3c3WlSF— Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (மோடியின் குடும்பம் ) (@DrTamilisai4BJP) February 8, 2024
Reflecting on the birth of Telangana, the Governor said that it was created out of the aspirations of 4 crore people, the sacrifices of the youth, and the relentless struggles of students. She said, “Our governance is rooted in the responsibility to honour those sacrifices, and our aim is to govern in alignment with the desires of civil society.”
Reiterating the government’s commitment to conducting a caste census, the Governor said, “The Telangana government has decided to conduct Kulaganana (caste survey) by taking up a door-to-door household survey with the goal of eliciting the data required to estimate the Social, Educational, Economic, Employment and Political opportunities for various castes in general and BCs in particular. Justice will be delivered to all sections of society that have faced discrimination and oppression.”
The Governor covered a spectrum of government initiatives, including the likely face lift of Musi River and the vision to make Hyderabad and Telangana the country’s AI capital. “My government is determined to harness the power of new technology, particularly AI. We will position Hyderabad and Telangana as the AI capital of the country by inviting the top global and national technology companies to set up their AI centres. We will set up a dedicated AI City in 50-100 acres.”
Discussing the Musi River Front Project, she emphasized its potential to rejuvenate the city, creating plazas, pedestrian zones, hawker areas, and green spaces across Hyderabad.
The Governor said that the Musi River Front Project would give a new look to the river. “Musi will once again become the lifeline of Hyderabad, and the entire urban landscape around it will be rejuvenated. The project will have components of transport networks connecting the eastern and western parts of the city,
clean, flowing water, and river front beautification. The project will create people’s plazas, pedestrian zones, hawker areas, and green spaces all across the city,” she said.
Affirming the government’s dedication to people’s welfare, she highlighted, “Two guarantees have already been implemented. More than 15 crore women have availed free bus travel on RTC buses under Mahalaxmi Scheme, implemented as part of six guarantees.”
She added that the government will soon implement two more guarantees — LPG cylinder at ₹500 each and supply of 200 units of free power for domestic use — and reiterated that it would implement the remaining promises of Rythu Bharosa, Indiramma Houses, Yuva Vikasam, and Cheyutha in a time bound manner. The Governor said that the government was committed to filling 2 lakh jobs in the state government, and addressing land-related issues through the newly formed Dharani Committee.
In a final swipe at the erstwhile BRS government, the Governor said, “The White Paper on Finance released during the last session of the Assembly had laid bare the incompetent and reckless manner in which the previous government has managed public finance. The people of Telangana had handed over a rich state to the previous government and after 10 years, they have handed over a debt-ridden state to us,” drawing applause from the treasury benches and protests from the BRS.
The Governor pledged to rebuild institutions that suffered in the last decade, promising to restore core values to the legislature and executive. “All the institutions critical to the growth and development of the state, like TSPSC, the TSHRC, State Information Commission, Universities, will be given the space to function in a responsible manner.”
