KCR advises opposition not to curse Telangana

Hyderabad, Oct 8:  Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday appealed to the opposition parties not to curse the state for the sake of politics.

Speaking in the State Legislative Assembly, he said while opposition parties were free to speak for politics and criticise the government for its mistakes, they should avoid belittling the state.

Claiming that no other state in the country was implementing the kind of welfare schemes launched by Telangana, he said the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government was on course to build Telangana envisioned during the movement for separate state.

KCR reiterated that during last seven years Telangana not only overcame many problems including shortage of electricity, drinking water and irrigation facilities but also became one of the top contributors to the country's GDP.

He has slammed the BJP leaders for their statements that the Centre is providing funds to the state.

"It's Telangana which is giving funds to the Centre and what is getting from the Centre is very less compared to its contribution," he said.

"When the Centre is not giving funds where is the question of diversion," he asked referring to allegations by BJP leaders that the TRS government is diverting funds received from the Centre.

He pointed out that Telangana's per capita income of Rs 2.37 lakh is double than the average per capita income in the country.

He recalled that the people of Telangana were ridiculed in undivided Andhra Pradesh as someone who had no knowledge of agriculture but the same Telangana today has much higher per capita income compared to Rs 1.70 lakh of Andhra Pradesh.

KCR said that once dry lands of Telangana has today transformed into lush green with abundant availability of water due to completion of Kaleshwaram lift irrigation and other projects and round-the-clock electricity supply.

He said unlike in the past when people used to migrate from Telangana to other states for employment, it is now attracting workers from all over the country. He claimed that 15 lakh workers from other parts of the country are working in Telangana.

The chief minister districts like Mahabubnagar which used to witness large-scale migration of agriculture labourers is today getting migrant labourers from Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh) and other places.

He reeled out the figures to compare the achievements of his government compared to the previous Congress governments in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The chief minister also took exception to Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi's heaping praise on former chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.

KCR reminded Owaisi that it was also during Rajasekhara Reddy's time that Telangana suffered a lot. "He did injustice to Telangana in all aspects including water and funds. If such a man is praised in Telangana Legislature, it surprise us," he said.

The chief minister said it was during YSR's regime that Wakf land belonging to Dargah Hussah Shah Wali was given to Lanco company. He alleged that other Wakf properties were also encroached and put up for sale but he along with Muslim leaders foiled the attempts.