Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said Telangana achieved rapid progress in a short span of eight years and emerged as a role model to the country. Be it economic development, increase in Per Capita Income, supply of 24-hour free power, welfare of people, IT growth and Industries and other sectors, Telangana became a role model to the country, he said while addressing at the Telangana Formation Day celebrations in Public Gardens here on Thursday.
“It is a moment of pride for us. Telangana reached the pinnacle of development and became a manual for others to follow,” said Chandrashekhar Rao said. With 17.24 per cent average annual economic growth from 2014-2019, Telangana was ranked top in the country. Despite Corona, Telangana was making rapid strides in development.
The Economic Survey of India report in 2020-2021 had even complimented Telangana, for coming out of the corona crises quickly, he said, adding “This is stands as a testimony for Telangana’s prudence in fiscal management and financial discipline”.
In 2013-2014, Telangana’s GSDP was Rs 5,05,849 crore and it increased to Rs 11,54,860 crore by 2021-2022. In terms of Per Capita income, Telangana’s Per Capita Income was Rs 1,24,104 in 2014-15 and it increased to Rs 2,78,833 in 2021-22. It is 86 per cent higher than the national average of Rs 1,49,848, he said.
During State formation the installed power generation capacity was 7,778 MW and now, the installed capacity has been increased to 17,305 MW. In the past eight years, the State Government increased solar power generation capacity from a mere 74 MW to 4,478 MW.
Telangana leads even in terms of Per Capita power Consumption. In 2014, the Per capita power consumption in the State was 1,110 units and it increased to 2012 units. When compared to the National Per Capita Power Consumption, it is 73 percent higher, the Chief Minister said. Providing input financial assistance under Rythu Bandhu and insurance coverage under Rythu Bima infused confidence among the farming
community.
Telangana was the only State to extend a whopping Rs 50,000 crore to farmers as input financial assistance for cultivating crops. Now, other States were studying the schemes, he said.
Similarly, Kaleshwaram was constructed in a record time. In 2014, water was available to irrigate 20 lakh acres in the region and by 2021, Telangana Government created irrigated water facility to 85.89 lakh acres.For the first time in the country, Dalit Bandhu scheme was being implemented in Telangana as a social reform movement aimed at development of Dalit community.
Under the Scheme, the Government is extending Rs 10 lakh financial assistance to each Dalit Family. This was not a loan and repayment was not required either, he said. For implementation of Dalit Bandhu scheme this year, the Government allocated Rs 17,700 Crore in the State’s Budget. Telangana happens to be the only State in the country, which is giving double bedroom houses for free to the poor. So far, 2.91 lakh houses were sanctioned, he explained.
Regarding employment, in the last eight years, 1.33 lakh government jobs were filled up and the State Government was filling up 80,039 vacancies in different departments. This apart, services of 11,103 contract employees were regularized. After the President’s assent to amend Article 371-D, Telangana is the first State in the country, which gave 95 percent reservations to locals, the Chief Minister said.
After State formation, Telangana stood first in attracting the foreign investments. In the last eight years, investments to the tune of Rs 2,32,111 crore were made in the industrial sector and 16,48,956 lakh jobs were provided. In the IT sector, exports from Hyderabad account for Rs 1,83,569 crore. Telangana stood first in the Good Governance Index prepared by the Central Good Governance Institute in commerce and trade category, the Chief Minister said. “Nothing is unattainable if there is integrity, commitment, dedication and unwavering concern for the solution of people’s problems,” Chandrashekhar Rao said.