Hyderabad: New old age pensions and pensions to handicapped will be provided from November 1. Telangana IT minister K.T. Rama Rao disclosed this at an election rally in Dubbak in Medak district. He said the schemes would be formally launched between Dasara and Deepavali, but would be effective from November 1. The TRS had promised Rs 1,000 per month old age pension and Rs 1,500 pension to the handicapped in its election manifesto. “We are yet to complete 100 days in office, yet Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is fulfilling all the electoral promises. Though the new state is yet to stabilise and there is a financial crunch, the government is determined to keep up its electoral promises,” he said.
Asserting that the TRS government will implement in letter and spirit Rs 1 lakh loan waiver scheme costing the exchequer Rs 19,000 crore, he said, “The government is committed to Rs 1 lakh loan waiver scheme and there is no need for farmers to be perturbed in any manner. We have also taken steps to ensure farmers get loans in current season,” he explained. Hitting out at TPCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah for blaming the Chief Minister for the present power crisis, Mr Rama Rao asked, “How can KCR be blamed? The Congress and Telugu Desam were in power for six decades,” he said. Are they not responsible for denying power projects to Telangana,” he asked.
Accusing both the Telugu Desam and the Congress of deliberately establishing power plants in Vijayawada and Kadapa ignoring coal belts of Singareni, he alleged that the lopsided policies of TD and Congress governments Telangana State is reeling under power crisis. Mr Rama Rao said it was the TRS government which had paid Rs 400 crore compensation to farmers including Rs 54 crore in Medak district, to those who suffered crop loss due to hailstorm and other natural calamities, not Mr Rosaiah and Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy. Making a dig at BJP president, Mr Kishan Reddy he said the former did not contest Medak Lok Sabha by polls fearing a rout. "He is at the mercy of Andhra leaders. A vote for BJP will strengthen the hands of Andhra leaders like Mr Venkaiah Naidu and Mr Chandrababu Naidu," he remarked.
