Grand celebrations!

The 21-day long decennial celebrations of Telangana state formation will be formally launched on June 2, 2023, aptly showcasing state welfare programmes and development in a big way. It was one of the important decisions of the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, the first one held in the new Dr BR Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat on May 18, 2023. Earlier, revealing and sharing his ideas and vision on the celebrations in a high-level review meeting on May 13, 2023, KCR had said that ‘now we are a guide to India in every aspect’ and hence ‘let us celebrate’ every day, beginning with State Formation Day, the unparalleled welfare and development relating to one department or sector, alongside depicting rapid strides made under the BRS rule to fulfil the aspirations of people. This unequivocally infers that this is the occasion to speak about the nine years of growth and progress of Telangana.

Making a precise mention about the economic and financial growth, where the development is incredible and ‘Mercuric Raise’, CM KCR said that, it shall be explicitly portrayed. These include the increase in GSDP, annual budget estimates, per capita Income etc. As a matter of fact, though nine years have completed, in effect, considering the three years wasted due to demonetisation and the pandemic, the actual growth and development took place in a record six years period only, and Telangana emerged as one of the richest states of India.

The proposed plan of action, as enunciated by CM KCR, is that, on the day one (June 2, 2023), with about 25,000 gathering, consisting of HoDs, Secretariat and other employees, in the new Dr BR Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat Lawns, the inaugural kick-off launch meeting will be held, where CM will address, unfolding the nine years of development. Ministers will hold similar programmes in their respective district headquarters. Public meetings would also be organised in every constituency and district, involving people at the grassroots level.

There will be a state-wide illumination including the forts, Ramappa and other important temples signifying the all-around festive mood in the entire state, said CM KCR. Fireworks will be displayed on tank bund and even in districts. In Ravindra Bharathi, on all the 21 days, programmes by different artists in different fields depicting the state’s all-round growth will be organised under the banner of Samskritika Saradhi. In addition, poetic meets, avadhnama, musical concerts, song competitions etc., full of magnificence, befitting the decennial celebrations will be conducted. With Telangana emerging as a role model, and creating a new landmark in every sector, the overall development will be screened in theatres.

Most importantly, the nine years’ success story of Telangana will be the key theme in the form of fabulous audio-visual documentaries as also in print, as desired and directed by CM KCR, so that the message reaches the people. Everyone must be made aware of what is instrumental for this gigantic achievement in such a short period. Accordingly, on agriculture, or on creating a first-ever permanent green fund, on irrigation projects, education, comprehensive development of villages and towns, multilayered planning, wildlife protection, planting of saplings, Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya, Dalit Bandhu, Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima, land revenue, and land administration including Dharani, schemes like Kalyana Laxmi Shadi Mubarak, Aasara Pensions etc. will be showcased on the earmarked days.

One day will be exclusively dedicated as Martyrs’ Memorial Day, paying tributes to Martyrs, right from the Gram Panchayat level. At the level of every Gram Panchayat, mandal, municipality and so on, Martyrs’ Memorial Day will be observed befittingly. CM KCR desires that Martyrs’ Day shall be celebrated in Hyderabad on a grand scale, which includes police gun salute in an impressive way and also to be documented for future. The same has to be done in districts, too, in all collectorates.

Other states’ Chief Ministers are inquisitive about the unparalleled, marvellous and ‘never before and nowhere’ development and welfare that has taken place in Telangana, and the state becoming a role model in the country. Maharashtra, which had a better foundation than Telangana, has no clue as to how this was made possible. Madhya Pradesh BJP Chief Minister confessed that pressure is mounting on him from people to replicate Telangana schemes. In the review meeting sharing these, CM KCR cited examples of some departments for the day-wise demonstration of achievements, suggesting that similar exercise could be done for other departments too.

For instance, CM KCR said that, despite the highest quantity of yield of paddy production in Telangana, surpassing Punjab, the Centre appears to be indifferent with no plan of action to procure. All this high yield in Telangana was possible because of enormous confidence given to the farmer by the government. Total produce in Telangana is bought by the government. Due to the development of agriculture, a large number of people are getting a livelihood. Reverse migration of state’s agriculture labourers, and agriculture labourers migrating from other states like UP, Bengal etc. to Telangana for livelihood is the change that has taken place. The manner in which amounts of Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bhima are directly reaching the beneficiaries sitting at home, is a subject of astonishment to several chief ministers, revealed KCR.

CM KCR went on elaborating success after success in every sector. For instance, in the irrigation sector, he mentioned about depleting ground water levels in the entire country abnormally, whereas in Telangana the levels are replenishing by leaps and bounds, the reason being construction of projects like Kaleshwaram and reservoirs. Replicating the Siddipet Model, ‘Mission Bhagiratha’ was conceived with about 40,000 tanks, built in higher contour. It has become 100 per cent successful.

With regards to urban and rural development, measures taken ‘to improve the dignity of poor’, basically through ‘Palle Pragathi’ and ‘Pattana Pragathi’ programmes for providing infrastructure facilities, will be highlighted. Increase in the number of municipalities as part of administrative reforms, which is another achievement, would be appropriately shown. Release of funds to gram panchayats and municipalities regularly, formation of additional districts totalling 33, creation of new gram panchayats, new mandals, reorganisation of departments to suit the needs of people, construction of 2,601 Rythu Vedikas bringing administration closer to people, would be portrayed.

On the Power Day, how ‘from a disproportionate system to proportionate system’, the way KCR puts it, the power scenario has progressed will be showcased in a new angle. Demand for inverters, converters, generators and stabilisers is gone. Power projects are being completed on a fast track, and Telangana being one and the only state that gives 24 hours power supply to all sectors will be projected. Telangana becoming the power surplus state with 100 per cent growth and also the per capita power consumption increasing rapidly would be depicted.

Dalit Bandhu is a unique programme and Telangana is the one and only state in the entire country implementing this, and this will be prominently emphasised. Similarly, separate days are to be earmarked for the overall welfare, infrastructure development, health initiatives, police reforms like SHE teams formation, CCTV cameras, district police offices, friendly police, ‘Kanti Velugu’ (the world’s largest eye screening programme), women empowerment, hereditary professions, Genome Valley, and Pharma City etc.

On Education Day, the phenomenal increase in the number of residential institutions and the excellent results in the public and competitive examinations will be projected. On IT and Industries Day, growth in IT exports which crossed Rs 2,20,000 crore, over 20 lakh individuals getting jobs or expected to get employment in the 22,500 industries that were registered so far (out of which 80 per cent industries have already gone into production) will be depicted. Also, the fact that ‘we are world leaders in producing vaccines and Hyderabad is Vaccine Capital of the Globe’ will be promoted. And of course, other sectors, departments and schemes in the similar fashion would be highlighted.

The writer is the Chief Public Relations Officer to the CM of Telangana. Views expressed are personal