Bhatti: No State Can Match Telangana's Development
Bhatti announced that the state government would soon launch the Indira Solar Tribal Water Development Scheme to empower tribal communities to live with self-respect without losing their forests
Nalgonda: No other Indian state could match the speed of Telangana’s development, asserted Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka. Laying the foundation stone for a 33/11 KV sub-station at the Integrated District Office Complex (IDOC) in Kothagudem on Saturday, Bhatti said a new era of welfare had begun in Telangana with the Congress coming to power.
He announced that the state government would soon launch the Indira Solar Tribal Water Development Scheme to empower tribal communities to live with self-respect without losing their forests. The ambitious scheme, to be launched officially on Monday in Achampet, Nagarkurnool district, will cover the entire Godavari basin from Adilabad to Bhadrachalam and parts of the Krishna basin as well. The government will spend Rs.12,500 crore on the programme without imposing any financial burden.
As part of the scheme, borewells will be drilled and solar power systems installed. Drip and sprinkler irrigation systems will be introduced, and horticulture crops like avocados and bamboo will be promoted with support from the horticulture department.
Highlighting Telangana’s power sector achievements, Bhatti said uninterrupted electricity was supplied even during record power demand. He reminded the gathering that it was the Congress that had originally introduced free electricity for agriculture in Telangana, not KCR. He pointed out that while the previous administration failed to handle a 15,000 MW demand in 2023–24, the current government managed a peak demand of 17,162 MW in March without any disruptions—a record even in the history of united Andhra Pradesh.
The government, he said, would continue to harness thermal, solar, hydel and wind energy and aims to produce 20,000 MW of green energy. Taking a swipe at previous leaders, he said, “Those who spent ten years lounging in farmhouses and wasting public money are now making reckless statements as they cannot tolerate the pace of progress.”
Bhatti said Telangana was witnessing holistic development across sectors such as IT, pharma, power, health, housing and welfare. He stressed that visible development would be the government’s response to baseless criticism by former rulers who misused public funds and remained inactive for a decade.
He also disclosed that a special monitoring system had been established in Delhi to track central funds and development schemes. Telangana MPs have been holding discussions with Union ministers, and state ministers would soon follow up to secure the required support. He commended the MPs for their efforts and said they had been given all the necessary data by the state government.
Referring to the state’s logistical challenges, he noted that Telangana’s lack of a seaport meant heavy dependence on roadways. A study would be conducted on the feasibility of using the Godavari River for inland navigation. “If viable, the matter will be taken up with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy,” he said.
Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, who also spoke at the event, said comprehensive development of Bhadadri-Kothagudem district—rich in coal resources—required the simultaneous advancement of road, rail, air and water transport systems.
He urged MLAs from Khammam and Bhadradri-Kothagudem districts to expedite land acquisition for the Sitarama Lift Irrigation Scheme canals in their constituencies. He added that the Chief Minister had approved the district collector’s proposal for establishing an Earth Science University in the district and said the university works would commence soon.