Telangana Government Priortises Health, Housing: Ponguleti
Ponguleti said the government was focusing on developing medical infrastructure to improve the quality of care in government hospitals, with new buildings under construction for medical colleges
Nalgonda: Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said the Congress government had prioritised the health and housing sectors despite prevailing financial constraints, demonstrating commitment to welfare through increased allocations and transparent implementation of key schemes.
Addressing a public meeting at Raghunathapalem in Khammam district on Thursday, the minister said the state government had allocated Rs.12,329 crore to the health, medical and family welfare department in the 2025-26 Budget. He said the government ensured that the financial crunch would not affect health services by making sufficient budgetary provisions and clearing Rs.1,000 crore worth of pending bills left behind by the previous government.
He said the government was focusing on developing medical infrastructure to improve the quality of care in government hospitals, with new buildings under construction for medical colleges. Steps were also being taken to strengthen pharmacy and nursing colleges. A foundation stone was recently laid for a medical college in Khammam after resolving land acquisition issues. Srinivas Reddy expressed confidence that the upcoming campus near the ring road would be a valuable asset for the district.
Earlier in the day, the minister inaugurated model Indiramma houses built on the premises of the mandal parishad development office at Nakrekal in Nalgonda district. He said transparency was maintained in selecting beneficiaries, with the process being carried out irrespective of political affiliations and free from corruption.
In the first phase, houses were sanctioned to the poorest of the poor—those unable to afford even a basement. Each Assembly constituency in the state has been sanctioned about 3,500 Indiramma houses, he said, adding that over the next three and a half years, 20 lakh eligible families would receive homes under the scheme.
Srinivas Reddy also said the Bhu Bharathi initiative would set a national benchmark in land record management. From June 2, tahsildars will begin visiting revenue villages to accept applications and resolve land issues at the grassroots level.
Criticising the previous BRS government, he said that despite spending Rs.42,853 crore on Mission Bhagiratha, 40 per cent of households were still without drinking water. He added that the current government had spent Rs.650 crore to temporarily provide water supply to these households.
Bhongir MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy said Bhu Bharathi and Indiramma houses were two prestigious schemes of the state government, aimed at uplifting the dignity of the poor through land ownership and housing. MLCs Nellikanti Satyam and Shanker Naik and MLAs Vemula Veeresham and Bathula Laxma Reddy also attended the programme.
