The State Government has criticised the Central Government for allegedly indulging in mud-slinging on it although it worked with commitment to make the State a role model to the country in several aspects.
Ministers T. Harish Rao and E. Dayakar Rao recalled that the commitment of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to realising the dream of providing safe drinking water to all households in the State was proved by the national level awards for the Mission Bhagiratha project. “Several Central Ministers who are visiting the State are indulging in mud-slinging on the TRS Government. The latest award to the State by the Jal Jeevan Mission should come as eye-opener to them,” Mr. Harish Rao said.
Mr. Harish Rao said the Centre was copying schemes like Mission Bhagiratha which was the inspiration behind the Har Ghar Jal launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amrit Sarovar project of the Centre was a replica of Mission Kakatiya while Rythu Bandhu was being implemented under the name PM Kisan Samman Yojana. “Telangana has been a role model for the country in several other schemes,” he said.
He recalled how the State Assembly had witnessed heated debates on power and water issues in every session, but it had become a thing of the past after Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao took overs. “Are the opposition leaders who are taking out yatras raising these issues in the public?” he asked.
While Telangana was providing safe drinking water to more than 20,000 habitations, the Central Government could not do the same for even 50 per cent of the population. Of the more than 17 lakh habitations across the country, 13.22 lakh were receiving full or partial supply of safe drinking water.
He recalled how the then Chief Minister of united AP N. Kiran Kumar Reddy had allotted ₹7,000 crore to Chittoor district and refused to release funds for Telangana. But the Chief Minister had taken steps to ensure that all habitations in all constituencies were covered under Mission Bhagiratha, no matter whether they were represented by the ruling party or the opposition. In addition to providing safe drinking water, the government had controlled spread of seasonal diseases since the launch of Mission Bhagiratha.
“The CAG and NITI Aayog appreciate Telangana in financial issues and national agencies are showering accolades on the projects in the form of awards. But the Union Ministers are resorting to criticism of the government,” he wondered. The Centre should instead release funds to the State as recommended by the national agencies like NITI Aayog which wanted ₹19,000 crore to be allocated to Mission Bhagiratha. The Centre had also set aside the XV Finance Commission’s recommendation to release sector-specific grants to Telangana. “The Union Ministers should speak about the State after ensuring release of funds as recommended by these bodies,” he said.
Mr. Dayakar Rao wanted the opposition parties to introspect on the conditions in terms of power and water supply before and after the formation of Telangana. No other State had received awards in different areas as did Telangana and this reflected the government’s resolve to find permanent solutions to the problems faced by the common man.
