Update on KCR's 'Dharani'

 Purification of land records in the State will be fully completed within a year and when done, will show the rest of the country how such a task can be accomplished, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said on Monday.

The Chief Minister said the government website of land records database ‘Dharani’ will be ready in six to seven months. He also announced that the government was looking into introduction of conclusive titles with 100 per cent ownership, but added that to get there, it may take a couple of years.

Chandrashekhar Rao was replying to a series of queries posed by Leader of Opposition Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, during the discussion on Appropriation Bills in the Legislative Assembly here.

The Chief Minister rejected the contention that the government was pushing the State into a debt trap. “You say loans, we say we are leveraging our economy. If you do not understand, there is nothing we can do,” he said in a pointed response to the Opposition’s charge over the State’s borrowings. He added that the State was adhering strictly to FRBM norms with regard to its borrowings. “Telangana is eligible to raise borrowings amounting to 25 per cent of its GSDP. Our borrowings are at 21.5 per cent,” he said.

‘Why objections’
Chandrashekhar Rao further said there was no reason for Congress to worry about the government setting up corporations or special purpose vehicles for completing Mission Bhagiratha or irrigation projects. “This means availability of Rs 30,000 crore to Rs 35,000 crore in addition to the budget for capital expenditure. Why does the Congress have objections?” he asked.

He then said that for instance, the value of annual agricultural output once all irrigation projects are completed in the State would be Rs 1.25 lakh crore. “This is equal to the total investment on these projects,” he said.

With respect to Mission Bhagiratha, the Chief Minister declared that the government will not burden villages and gram panchayats with bulk water supply bills. “By the end of this April, Mission Bhagiratha’s treated and potable water will be supplied to all habitations in the State. There is no such project in any other State in the country,” he said.

Firm resolve
Chandrashekhar Rao also criticized some Congress leaders for “deliberate obstructions” of projects and other development programmes by approaching courts and trying to create hurdles for the government. “Irrespective of all the challenges that are thrown at us, we will complete projects and deliver the results to the people,” he declared.

On the question posed by Vikramarka on why the government presented a vote on account Budget, the Chief Minister pointed out that Congress president Rahul Gandhi “talks everyday how his party, if voted to power, will completely recast GST.” “He is also promising many other changes. Once there is clarity over what the Union budget will be, and what the Centre’s policies will be, we will present a full-fledged budget,” he said.

Appropriation Bills passed
The Telangana Legislative Assembly on Monday passed the Rs 1,82,017 crore vote on account Budget unanimously with the House approving the Appropriation Bills. With this, the government received the Assembly’s approval for its spending for the first six months of 2019-20 financial year.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao proposed that the two Appropriation Bills be passed after which Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy put them to vote and they were passed by voice vote without anyone opposing them. The passing of the Appropriation Bills followed a three-and-a-half-hour discussion followed by the Chief Minister’s reply.

Later, Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy adjourned the House sine die. In the Legislative Council, after the Appropriation Bill was approved, Chairman K Swamy Goud also adjourned the House sine die.

Land Survey
As part of setting right the vexed issue of land records in the State, the government will take up scientific land survey that will be accurate to the centimetre, says Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. Says work on purification of land records was 95 per cent complete and the rest of the land records where ownership was in dispute was mostly a legacy problem

Nostalgia
Colleagues recall some hilarious association with ‘man for all seasons’ Padma Rao – from coming to an ‘understanding’ with Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav during the Assembly polls to helping Chennur MLA Balka Suman marry the love of his life and even revealing that tea is the secret of his energy

Water supply
Drinking water shortage in TS will be a thing of the past after April with Mission Bhagiratha programme nearing completion, says Chandrashekhar Rao, not only will Mission Bharigatha supply treated drinking water to all households but government was looking at possibility of ensuring 24-hour water supply to people

Verbal duel
pposition and Treasury benches get into verbal duel on last day of Legislative Council 13th session, criticising each other over political alliances and interests, Leader of Opposition Mohd. Ali Shabbir triggers heated debate after stating that TRS ignored sacrifices of people during the separate Statehood movement