Will strive for Telangana’s development till my last breath, says KCR

Affirming that promises made on June 2, 2014 in rebuilding Telangana were delivered, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said Telangana had to scale new heights and assured that he would strive hard in ensuring the State’s further development till his last breath.

An assurance was made to people that Telangana would be rebuilt in such a way that the nation would learn a great deal from it. It has become a reality in a span of nine years. Today, Telangana emerged as a role model for other States, Chandrashekhar Rao said.

The Chief Minister unfurled the tricolour at Dr BR Ambedkar Secretariat after paying floral tributes to the Telangana Martyrs at Gun Park as the decennial celebrations of the Telanagna State Formation Day took off to a colourful start. Extending Formation Day greetings to the people, the Chief Minister said Telangana model had emerged as the most sought after development model with people in different States demanding replication.

The progress achieved so far owed to only six years of success. The covid pandemic had left the progress scuttled every way for three years. Despite covid and demonetization challenges, Telangana had recorded a growth rate of 155 percent, he said. “I had assured to supply piped drinking water to each household, failing which I would not seek votes. The promise is fulfilled,” Chandrashekhar Rao reminded.

Telangana is the first State to provide safe and clean drinking water to each household, while West Bengal was at the bottom of the chart, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home State Gujarat was third in the list.

Infact, emulating Mission Bhagiratha, the Central government had launched “Har Ghar Jal Yojana” but it has not achieved 100 percent target, the Chief Minister pointed out. Telangana’s welfare and development schemes were designed with humanitarian perspective. A new change was ushered with the slogan of increasing the State’s wealth and distributing it among the people.

In 2014, the Telangana’s per capita income was only Rs 1.24 lakh and it increased to Rs.3.17 lakh. In 2014, Telangana’s GSDP value was Rs.5.05 crore and it increased to Rs.12.93 crore due to comprehensive development in all sectors, he said. Referring to the power sector



achievements, the Chief Minister informed that Telangana was the only State, which was supplying 24 hours quality power supply to different sectors, especially free power to farmers.

Telangana was spending about Rs.12,000 crore towards free power supply to the agriculture sector. On the contrary, in Gujarat, power holiday was being declared in each district a day on turn basis, he said, adding “Crop holiday and power holiday have become history in the State. That’s why Telangana model has become a topic of discussion across the country”

During formation of the State, the installed power generation capacity in Telangana was 7,778 MW. Today, it has been increased to 18,453 MW. Similarly, the solar power generation capacity was only 74 MW and it was increased to 5,741 MW. Telangana leads in solar power generation in the country, he said.

According top priority to irrigation sector, Telangana government constructed Kaleshwaram – world’s largest lift irrigation project in a short span. The project has now made River Godavari a permanent source covering 250 kms. Likewise, 80 per cent of Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation project works were completed and the Sitarama project works in Khammam were in the final stages. “Telangana’s irrigation policy aided in facilitating water to 75 lakh acres. Another 50 lakh acres will be irrigated in two to three years,” Chandrashekhar Rao said amidst cheers from the gathering.

Recalling the struggles faced by people in demanding a separate State, the Chief Minister said every time a movement was building up it was suppressed in 1969 and 1971. The united Andhra rulers hatched conspiracies in derailing the movement but in 2001, the second phase movement ignited.

“I feel blessed to lead the movement. On the occasion of decennial Telangana Formation Day celebrations, my heartfelt tributes to the martyrs, who laid down their lives to achieve Telangana” Chandrashekhar Rao said.

He also acknowledged the contributions made by people in every walk of life including the government employees, elected representatives and the bureaucrats in Telangana’s success. The State should shape itself into a perennial source of inspiration for future generations as well, he added.