Officials told to ensure housing scheme is graft-free
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao
Hyderabad: Warning of stringent action against those indulging in corruption and irregularities in the implementation of two-bedroom housing scheme, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday asked collectors and SPs to ensure government welfare schemes and developmental programmes reached the targeted people. Reminding the grave irregularities of the past, Mr Rao said that the housing scheme should ensure self-respect to the beneficiaries with all provisions, as promised by the government.
“I don’t want any repeat of past mistakes. In one year, Rs 5000 crore was swindled and 300 officials suspended, which indicates the enormity of housing scam in the past. Some were even sent to jail,” he said. The TS government has planned to construct 60,000 houses (36,000 in rural and 24,000 houses in urban areas) this year.
“We will increase the number of houses next year. As a pilot project, 400 houses would be constructed on priority in every Assembly constituency,” he said. Following the YSR system, ministers and MLAs would be allowed to allot 50 per cent of the houses to beneficiaries in each Assembly constituency. “Collectors play a key role in the implementation of welfare and developmental schemes, including housing schemes. SCs, STs must get preference in the allotment of houses. The houses will be allotted only on recommendation of the tahsildar. We will not tolerate irregularities. Guilty will be severely punished,” he said at the Collectors and SPs’ conference here.
Stating that the government planned to complete all pending irrigation projects on priority, Mr Rao asked the collectors to ensure quick acquisition of lands for the same. “People are looking for early completion of irrigation projects. We have to complete them at the earliest. Land acquisition is on in Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda and Adilabad districts,” he disclosed.
The CM hinted that government would relax rules pertaining to use of government land within 5-km radius of mandal headquarter and towns. He asked collectors to provide immediate relief to farmers, ensure quick payment of ex-gratia after submission of report by the three-member committee and take up campaigns in every village to prevent suicides.
Mr Rao reviewed a dozen issues, including farmer suicides and relief, drought, housing, Haritha Haaram, Water Grid, Grama Jyothi, Asara, rural employment, Mission Kakatiya, three-acre land to SCs etc.
CM: List mandals hit by drought
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao asked district collectors to prepare a list of drought-hit mandals as per Central government guidelines for submission of the report to the Centre.
He said as per the guidelines, only a few mandals would come under the “drought” category. “We have to take up a special programme to reach out to affected farmers,” he said. Mr Rao asked officials to build bridges across rivers and rivulets that double as check dams and ensure faster laying of pipelines for the Water Grid programme.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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