At the first meeting with district collectors, Revanth reminded them of the need to work 18 hours a day to ensure the guarantees reached the beneficiaries.
Published Dec 24, 2023 | 10:16 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 24, 2023 | 10:18 PM
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy held a meeting with a few district in-charges. (X)
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday, 24 December, delivered a stern message to district collectors and police officers.
Addressing his first meeting with district collectors after assuming power, Revanth Reddy reminded the officials of the need to work 18 hours a day to ensure the Congress’s six guarantees reached the intended beneficiaries.
The chief minister offered to transfer any official unwilling to meet his expectations to remote places.
He warned police officers against any laxity in maintaining law and order and curbing the drug menace. “Friendly policing does not mean that you should respect criminals. It means being friendly with the people who approach police stations seeking help,” he said.
Revanth Reddy further asked officials to move out if they could not function as expected. “We want committed officials to implement the state government policies,” he did not mince words.
Stressing the need for coordinated efforts, he likened the officials and people’s representatives to two bulls drawing a cart.
“The officials and people’s representatives are the servants of the people. You should always keep it in mind,” he said and advised the All India Service officers to take inspiration from civil services officer SR Sankaran, the former chief secretary of Tripura, who had dedicated his life to the service of the poor.
The chief minister said that as the prelude to implementing the six guarantees, the collectors should organise gram sabhas from 28 December to 6 January 2024, and collect applications for the various welfare schemes.
Revanth Reddy said they needed to make available the forms to villagers in advance. The officials should also assign Anganwadi and ASHA workers to help the illiterate fill up the forms.
He asked the officials to inform the people about the need to produce Aadhaar cards or other photo ID cards. The details of families of Telangana movement martyrs should be collected. They, too, should be provided with the application forms in advance.
After collecting the application forms at gram sabhas, they have to be digitised and forwarded to the government. Those who satisfy the criteria would be recognised as eligible for the scheme concerned.
In an oblique reference to the previous BRS government, he said that development did not mean iridescent glasshouses. “If you think it is development, you have made a mistake. It would not be of any use to the poor. Development has to be equitable and it should benefit all sections of society,” the chief minister said.
He underscored the need for all officials to have a humane face while attending to the problems of the poor. “We should be able to understand the problems that the people present from their perspective. We are here to solve their problems. We should move forward with a positive outlook,” Revanth Reddy told the officials.
The chief minister reminded the officials that the people of Telangana are different from those in other states. They had fought and secured the state of Telangana because they would not tolerate arrogance. “It is in their DNA. The people here would tolerate anything except any attempt to take away their freedom,” he said.
He asked the Cyberabad commissioner to inquire into the sale of tickets for the Sunburn Festival in Hyderabad. He said Book My Show has no permission to sell tickets for the festival and that those who are under 18 are not allowed at the festival. “There is no question of selling liquor to those who are under 18 years of age,” he said.
Revanth Reddy said the police should curb events that make the youth go awry. “In states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa, there is a ban on such festivals. Don’t treat them as revenue sources. They do incalculable harm to the youth,” he said.
He asked the officials to curb the sale of spurious seeds to farmers as those who sell them are more dangerous than terrorists.
“If farmers are dying by suicide it is because of the sale of spurious seeds,” he said, while directing the police to make a database of spurious-seed sellers.
“If the menace has to end, you have to make the owners of companies responsible besides those who sell them. If necessary the relevant Act should be amended so that the properties of such companies could be attached,” the chief minister added.
