During the election campaign in Telangana, the Congress party had promised to usher in people’s governance and ever since it came to power a month ago it tried to show that it is sincere to translate its promise into reality.
Targeting the former government of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) for what it called ‘Dorala Telangana’ ‘feudalistic Telangana’, the Congress leaders had promised to deliver ‘Prajala Telangana’ (People’s Telangana).
Since the public perception about the previous BRS government was that its top leaders were not accessible people, the Congress tried to cash in on it and gave the slogan to drive away “10 years of arrogance”.
The new government announced a series of measures to convey the message that it is committed to delivering people’s governance.
Addressing people after taking oath on December 7, 2023, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy assured the people the Congress government would be the people’s government.
“We are not rulers. We are servants of people,” he declared.
He signed two files, the first related to implementation of six guarantees given by the Congress party to the people of Telangana. The second file he signed was to fulfil a promise he had made during the election campaign to a differently-abled woman.
He had promised that if the Congress party comes to power, she will be the first person to get a government job. The Chief Minister signed the orders to give T. Rajini, a dwarf, the government job.
At the oath taking ceremony, Revanth Reddy also announced renaming Pragati Bhavan, the official residence of the chief minister, as Jyotirao Phule Praja Bhavan.
He also declared conducting ‘Praja Darbar’ from the next day at Praja Bhavan. He assured the people that he will try to solve people’s problems as their son and brother.
The next day he went to Praja Bhavan to receive applications from citizens and interacted with them to formally launch the programme. Subsequently, ministers and officials received the applications from people.
The programme was later renamed as ‘Praja Vani’ and it was made a bi-weekly programme. Every Tuesday and Friday, people turn up at Praja Bhavan to submit applications about their grievances, problems or requirements like ration card, pension, house, help for medical treatment etc. The authorities have already received more than a lakh petitions.
People, turning up at Praja Bhavan, are happy after a long time the government is listening to their problems. The system created to receive the applications and issue the acknowledgment gave the hope that there will be a follow-up action.
Political analysts say the programme created a feelgood factor about the government. By dismantling iron fencing in front of Pragati Bhavan even before taking oath, Revanth Reddy sent a message that he wants to remove any impediments for people to approach the government.
Two days after forming the government, it rolled out free bus travel for women in Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) buses. The scheme received tremendous response as women are allowed to have free bus ride anywhere in the state with no conditions.
The government also enhanced the coverage for treatment under Rajiv Arogyasri scheme from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
By implementing two promises within two days, the government tried to send a message that it is sincere in implementing all its promises and assured the people that the six guarantees will be implemented in 100 days.
Extending the public outreach programme to the rest of the state, the government launched ‘Praja Palana’ on December 28, 2023.
Applications from people about their problems and requirements were received across the state along with the applications for six guarantees.
Monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 each for women, cooking gas cylinder for Rs 500, free electricity up to 200 units, monthly pension of Rs 4,000 for various categories like senior citizens, widows, single women, financial assistance of Rs15,000 per acre annually for farmers, Rs 12,000 each annually for agricultural labourers and financial assistance for building houses are among the major benefits promised under the guarantees.
‘Praja Palana’ came to an end on January 6. The government received over 1.08 crore applications till January 5.
While the applications for six guarantees were 93.38 lakh, more than 15.55 lakh applications pertain to other problems.
Revanth Reddy also reversed a few decisions taken by the previous government. One such decision was about expansion of Hyderabad Metro Rail. He put on hold the Airport Metro project which was aimed at connecting IT hub HITEC City to Airport. The 31-km long line was estimated to cost over Rs 6,000 crore.
The Chief Minister cited the good connectivity to Airport from the IT hub through Outer Ring Road and asked officials to connect the Airport by Metro through Old City, which is yet to get Metro connectivity due to long pending work on a 5 km stretch from MGBS to Falaknuma.
Revanth Reddy asked officials to prepare a plan to connect Falaknuma to Airport and work on another alternate route to airport. He emphasised that the expansion proposals shall cater to major parts of the city and shall serve a maximum number of commuters.
Revanth Reddy also held a meeting with Gig and platform workers and two days later announced a Rs 5 lakh accidental insurance scheme. He also assured that the government would provide Rs10 lakh health cover to Gig workers under the Rajiv Arogyasri Scheme.
The Chief Minister also announced Rs 2 lakh financial assistance to the family of a food delivery executive who died four months ago after he fell from a building within two days and presented the cheque to the family.
While reaching out to people and giving them confidence that his government is sincere to meet its commitments, Revanth Reddy also tried to send out a message that he will implement the poll promise to conduct a judicial inquiry into irregularities in Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project and other corruption allegations against the previous BRS government.
In the very first Assembly session, he announced judicial inquiry into the sinking of piers of Medigadda barrage and cracks into Annaram barrage. The two barrages are part of Kaleshwaram project built at a cost of Rs 1 lakh crore.
He also ordered judicial inquiry into power purchase with Chhattisgarh by the previous government and also into alleged corruption in Bhadradri and Yadadri thermal power projects.
He alleged that the previous government entered Chhattisgarh agreement without tenders and it resulted in a loss of Rs 1,362 crore to Telangana.
Revanth Reddy also claimed that thousands of crores of corruption also took place in Bhadradri and Yadadri thermal power projects.