5.4.14

TRS' manifesto promises a Shanghai

The city of Hyderabad will be transformed into a software hub like Silicon Valley and hardware hub like Shanghai, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi announced as the party released its election manifesto.
In a veiled warning to Seemandhra politicians and industrialists, party president K Chandrasekhar Rao said that if his party is voted to power it “will ruthlessly take back” encroached land belonging to the Wakf Board and other government departments in and around the state capital.
Minutes after releasing the TRS election manifesto, KCR said the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) clusters that are coming up in Hyderabad will help transform it into an international city.
“With the help of ITIR, we will develop Hyderabad into a software hub like Silicon Valley and hardware hub like Shanghai. This will help us provide jobs to 50 lakh people,” he said.
Eyebrows were raised and political rivals tore into Rao after he announced the ambitious manifesto.
“What KCR has promised is nothing short of gifting the people Alladin’s magic lamp,” said a sarcastic Telangana PCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah.
Independent analysts said KCR’s promises were unrealistic and was an uphill task to achieve.
At a media conference, KCR said his government will take back huge tracts of land that have been encroached in and around Hyderabad and build satellite towns there.
“No matter how big the encroacher is, we will ruthlessly take back the encroached land belonging to the Wakf Board and other government departments,” KCR said.
His government will also relocate the 126-acre Hyderabad Race Club (HRC) from Malakpet and the Chanchalguda Jail into an area away from the city and convert those sites into educational institutions.
Interestingly, in the run up to the creation of the new state, Seemandhra leaders sought union territory status for Hyderabad to ensure that the new Telangana government did not go after the land owned by them in and around the state capital.
This is the reason why the Union government decided to vest the powers of law and order with the governor for 10 years.
Emphasizing on industrial and commercial development in Hyderabad and rest of Telangana, the manifesto proposes to set up a single window for regulatory clearances ensuring a transparent and corruption-free system.
The manifesto proposes to generate 13,200 MW additional thermal power making use of coal available in the Singerani region. It says the TRS government would provide uninterrupted power and water supply to Hyderabad.
Assuring rejuvenation of lakes in and around the city, the manifesto says special focus would be on cleaning the Musi river and the Hussainsagar.
On the social welfare front, the TRS manifesto has included KCR’s pet scheme to provide a two-bedroom house for each family of the economically weaker section.
While paying rich homage to the Telangana martyrs, the manifesto envisages pay ing ex gratia of Rs.10 lakh and government job to one member of each of the families which lost their loved ones in the statehood movement. “Our government will build a Telangana martyrs memorial in each district,” the TRS chief said.
Not just that, the TRS proposes to develop Telangana as a seed production hub and give 75 per cent subsidy to green house cultivation. “Telangana has great potential in terms of seed production and we will develop the new state as the seed bowl of India,” KCR said.
Incidentally, the TDP manifesto released by its president Chandrababu Naidu last week also promised to turn the region into the seed capital of the country.
Talking about irrigation, KCR said his government would put in efforts to irrigate 1 lakh acre of agricultural land in Telangana. While assuring farmers that farm loan up to Rs 1 lakh will be waived, KCR said his government would provide 8 hour power supply to agriculture.
Not forgetting the minorities, the manifesto proposes to give judiciary powers to the Wakf Board, while committing to encourage Urdu language. KCR said the Rajender Sachar Committee report would be implemented in letter and spirit and said the TRS government would strive to give 12 per cent reservation to minorities. KCR also said that the Batukamma festival would be observed as a state festival in the new Telangana state.

TRS’ TO-DO LIST
Hyderabad to be turned into a global city supported by ITIR Satellite towns to be developed around Hyderabad
Uninterrupted power and water supply to Hyderabad
Second airport for Hyderabad
Number of districts to be increased to 24 in Telangana
24-hour power supply to industries
Central scale for state government employees
Compulsory three-year term before transfer of government employees
12 per cent reservation for minority
33 per cent reservation for BCs in legislative bodies Super specialty hospital in every district
Free KG-to-PG education
Loan waiver upto Rs. 1 lakh for farmers
Eight-hour power supply to agriculture
Irrigation water for 1 lakh acre in each assembly segment

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