Hyderabad, Aug.23 (NSS): Minister for Revenue Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy has informed that the State government, within its first 100 days of formation, has successfully implemented three major guarantees despite inheriting a debt of ₹7 lakh crore.
Speaking at a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan here on Friday, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy highlighted the financial challenges the government faced upon taking office, including a staggering ₹7.19 lakh crore in debt.
He criticised the previous government led by K Chandrashekar Rao, accusing it of misleading the people of Telangana by portraying the State as wealthy while hiding its significant financial burdens.
“We have reduced various expenses to prioritise the implementation of the loan waiver for farmers,” he said.
“Already, 22 lakh farmers have benefited from the waiver of loans up to ₹2 lakh. This kind of large-scale loan waiver has not been implemented by any other State in the country. We have already deposited ₹18,000 crore into the accounts of farmers, and an additional ₹12,000 crore will be disbursed soon. Unlike the previous KCR government, we have not deceived the public,” Ponguleti disclosed.
He further alleged that the previous government had deceived people twice by promising a phased loan waiver of ₹1 lakh over five years, which was not fully implemented. Instead, only a few beneficiaries received the waiver just before the elections.
“We have not spent thousands of crores on publicity for the good work we’ve done, unlike the previous administration,” he added.
Regarding the provision of free electricity, the Minister stated that out of 42 lakh applications, only those that met the criteria were approved. “We are currently extending free electricity to an additional 7 lakh beneficiaries, and the number of people benefiting from free electricity and gas subsidies continues to grow. The process of rectifying errors in applications is ongoing.”
For farmers with loans exceeding ₹2 lakh, the minister explained that funds have not yet been deposited into their accounts. “We have advised farmers to clear the amount exceeding ₹2 lakh,” he said.
The Minister reiterated that the controversial Dharani portal would be discarded, following criticisms from the opposition. “We are studying the revenue laws of 18 States and will introduce a new Record of Rights (RoR) system, which will serve as a model for the entire country.”
On the topic of urban development, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy addressed on the HYDRA, explaining that it was initiated with good intentions. “We will not permit any construction within the buffer zone of the FTL, and illegal structures are being demolished,” he said.
Ponguleti also challenged BRS leaders KT Rama Rao and Harish Rao, stating, “If my house is found to be illegal, I instruct the HYDRA Commissioner to demolish it immediately. Instead of our officers, you can go and measure it yourselves. If it’s illegal, tear it down.”
