Published Jul 17, 2024 | 11:03 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 17, 2024 | 11:03 AM
Revanth Reddy at the collectors conference. (X)
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday, 16 July, his second collector’s conference, announced that farmers’ ₹2 lakh loan waiver will commence from Thursday, 18 July.
The chief minister also announced that white ration cards would not be mandatory for availing loan waivers.
To begin with, loans up to ₹1 lakh would be waived. But all loans would be waived at one go.
The chief minister asked the bankers to credit the amount into the farmers’ loan accounts. He further directed the collectors to hold a meeting with bankers to ensure that the cash credited to the bank accounts should be adjusted against the crop loans only and not against any other loan.
He cautioned, that if the bankers adjusted the money against any other loan, they would have to face action.
The move to remove the mandatory clause of possessing the white ration card came after the opposition BRS raised a hue and cry over the rider and alleged that it was intended to deny the waiver to a large number of farmers.
Revanth Reddy clarified that the white ration card would be used only to identify a family but the loan waiver would be done based on the pattadar passbooks. Even if a farmer does not have a white ration card but has availed crop loans, he too would become eligible for the waiver.
The chief minister further asked the ministers and MLAs to organise celebrations at the Rythu Vedika buildings in villages on Thursday, marking the occasion.
Revanth Reddy in the same meeting also proposed the creation of a digital health profile for everyone in the state.
He asked the collectors to provide Arogyasri cards to every individual in the state. He further ordered the officials to stop linking the Ration cards with Arogyasri cards.
The chief minister asked the officials to consider giving certificates to the RMP and PMPs after providing training.
Apart from the above proposals, the meeting also considered offering special incentives to doctors, ready to work in rural areas.
Allotment of serial numbers to every bed in the government hospitals and medical facilities in the tribal areas were the other aspects considered in the meeting. The collectors were instructed to focus on the management of hospitals in the districts by seeking help from local voluntary organizations, CSR funds and industries.
The chief minister also asked the officials to relieve the experienced speciality doctors from the management responsibilities of the hospitals and use their services for medical treatment. Other doctors will be entrusted with the management responsibilities.
Referring to the pending Dharni issues, he set 15 August as the deadline for their resolution. He added that the state government organised a special drive from 1 March to 15 March to solve land-related issues. A special committee has already been formed to resolve the Dharani problems.
Officials informed the chief minister that 1,61,760 applications have been disposed of and another 1,15,308 new applications are with the government.
The chief minister also asked the officials to list the reasons for rejecting dharani applications.
The chief minister advised the collectors to “Leave the AC rooms and visit villages, to oversee the implementation of welfare schemes at ground level.”
He further said it was an opportunity for the IAS officers to work closely with the people and resolve their issues.
“Field-level experience will be useful to the Collectors to understand the issues properly,” he said adding that they should leave a mark in the district administration.
Revanth Reddy instructing the collectors to organise more field visits, reiterated that the government has accorded top priority to serving the people by strengthening the schools, hostels and hospitals.
He added, “Collectors have to take necessary measures to strengthen the education system and guide the future generations.”
He said the government has been spending ₹85,000 on each poor student every month in the government schools. As part of rebuilding Telangana, the district officers are entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring government schools and hospitals regularly.
Collectors are also advised to address the public grievances on the spot during their field visits and inspection.
Collectors have also been asked to address people’s grievances reported in the weekly Praja Vani programme instantly.
He added that the number of grievances at the Praja Vaani will be reflective of the Collectors’ performance. Collectors are also held responsible for the implementation of six guarantees in a transparent manner.
He ordered the collectors to open Seva centres at the Collectorate on the day of Praja vani programme , if required, to address the grievances instantly and ensure the centers are functioning in all district mandal centers.
The officials briefed the chief minister that 5.89 lakh people have applied for Griha Jyoti and 3.32 lakh people for ₹500 gas cylinder scheme benefit at the Seva Kendras.
In the wake of complaints of increasing illegal occupation of government lands, the chief minister asked them to protect government properties, lakes and water bodies in all the districts.
He suggested that officials adopt geo-tagging technology connected with the command control center to keep a vigil on the protection of government lands.
In the afternoon session, the chief minister in his interaction with superintendents and commissioners of police, asked them not to compromise on maintenance of law and order. On friendly policing, the chief minister said: “Friendly policing should be with the victims and not with criminals.”.
He asked the commissioners of Cyberabad, Hyderabad and Rachakonda not to harass those who set street food stalls. He asked them to keep in mind that IT employees work at nights and in the name of restrictions, the police should not harass them.
The chief minister stressed the need for curbing sale and consumption of drugs with an iron hand. The police should keep a watch on the foreigners who come to Hyderabad frequently in the wake of some foreigners being caught in drugs cases.
He asked them to utilise part of Charlapalli land to run de-addiction camps for those who are caught, consuming the drugs.
Revanth Reddy directed the forest department officials to encourage tribals to raise orchards in the land for which they had been given pattas.
This measure would help them earn income and improve green cover. He wanted the officials to survey open lands in the midst of forests with the help of drones for this purpose, he said.
Revanth asked the officials to encourage raising of medicinal plants in Vikarabad forests as they are known to grow profusely there. He further wanted the forest officials to create a habitat that would attract tigers to the Adilabad forest.
At present many tourists from Telangana are going to Maharashtra for tiger safari in Tadoba forest. If favourable habitat is built, tigers would visit Adilabad forest. He wanted the officials to explore the possibilities of improving forest tourism in the Adilabad jungles.
Those who attended the collectors’ conference included Deputy Chief Minister M Bhatti Vikramarka, Ministers N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, D Sridhar Babu, Damodara Rajanarsimha, Ponnam Prabhakar, Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy, Jupalli Krishna Rao, Tummala Nageswara Rao, Seethakka, Konda Surekha, Vice Chairman of State Planning Board G Chinna Reddy and Chief Minister’s advisor Vem Narender Reddy.
(Edited by Sumavarsha Kandula)
