Withdraw Cases Against Tribal Podu Cultivators: CM KCR

Adilabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao trained his guns on the Congress for declaring that it would scrap the Dharani portal if voted to power. The Chief Minister did not target the BJP on this issue despite its national president J.P. Nadda making a similar announcement at a recent public meeting in Nagarkurnool, further fuelling speculation about the changed political equations  ahead of the Assembly elections.

Speaking at a public meeting after a formal distribution of podu land certificates to some ST beneficiaries in the first phase, in which Adivasi legend Komaram Bheem’s grandson Sone Rao participated, Rao tried to explain the benefits of the Dharani portal and the losses farmers would suffer if  it was scrapped.

Rao tried an impromptu survey to take feedback on the portal from the gathering. He said that the portal was introduced for the welfare of farmers; once it is away with, farmers will be forced to depend on middlemen and pay heavily, he said.

The CM expressed confidence that the BRS would win the Assembly elections and will strive for achieving Bangaru Telangana. He said people were witnessing development at a level that they had never dreamt of.

He said the BRS was faring well in Maharashtra, with local people welcoming the party with open hearts and hoping for a BRS government.

On local issues, he said sarpanchs had differed to some extent with the government initially. He credited them for the rapid development across gram panchayats (GPs). He noted that the state’s gram panchayats were walking away with top national awards.  

Rao said the government would provide water to 86,000 acres



in Asifabad and Sirpur (T) Assembly constituencies by constructing a barrage on the Wardha river at a cost of 75 crore. He said they are giving podu pattas to the extent of 47,000 acres to 15,519 beneficiaries in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district. He gave a cheque for 23.56 crore towards Rythu Bandhu for those allotted podu pattas.

He observed that there was no proper road connectivity to villages in Asifabad but now it had four-lane connectivity from Mancherial.

He said dalits and adivasi, BC, and minority students studying in residential schools were excelling in academics and getting admissions in medical and engineering colleges on sheer merit.

Rao laid thrust on good environment, health, schools, potable drinking water and improved medical facilities. The government will shortly provide 3-phase power supply to agriculture fields in the interior tribal areas in the next two months, Rao said.

He said that soon a notification will be issued converting Asifabad major gram panchayat into a municipality and announced 25 crore for municipalities in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district and Mancherial and 10 lakh for each gram panchayat.

He sanctioned 75 crore for the construction of a bridge on river Pranahitha to reach Maharashtra from Kautala and also an ITI in Sirpur constituency. He said they would develop Nagamma cheruvu where a Lord Buddha statue is a top tourist spot. Rao unveiled statues of Komaram Bheem and former minister Kotnaka Bheem Rao in the town and inaugurated a police station and BRS office.

Rao paid rich tributes to popular singer Sai Chand, who passed away on Thursday.