Hyderabad: The sale of small bits of land in Hyderabad has fetched over Rs.2,000 crore to the state government and that is the stamina of Telangana state, said Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.
He was addressing a meeting at Telangana Bhavan on Friday after formally inducting former TSD president L. Ramana and his followers into the TRS.
Referring to Thursday's Kokapet land sale, in which bidders quoted an astonishing price of Rs 60 crore per acre, Rao said, "We have put up only those small bits of government land in Hyderabad for sale, which are prone to encroachments. These small bits alone fetched over Rs.2,000 crore. That is the strength and stamina of Telangana. I have been telling this since the statehood agitation days that Telangana will be a wealthy state after bifurcation. This has been proved right again and again in the last seven years."
Rao stated that the funds accrued through sale of lands would be utilised only for the welfare of the people.
"Today, the state government employees receive the highest salaries compared to those from states. In fact, even central government employees don't match our payscale. Similarly, we are extending such benefits to all other sections in the form of various welfare schemes. Our policy is to develop the state, create wealth and distribute the same among the people," he remarked.
Describing Ramana as his 'good friend', Rao hailed his decision to join TRS and be part of the state’s development. He gave indications that Ramana would soon be given a minister post.
"Leaders from Backward Classes should get more power and positions. We have been doing it and we will do it again soon," Rao said amid applause from Ramana's followers.
