It took 10 long years to break the iron barriers before Pragati Bhavan and transform the once-unapproachable complex into an easily accessible Praja Bhavan. The credit goes to Anumula Revanth Reddy, the second Chief Minister of Telangana. On Thursday, he set another record by opening his heart with one-on-one with senior journalists from the print media — a practice that had been ignored for 10 long years in Telangana with incalculable damage to the media’s role as a watchdog of democracy. Infusing a refreshing element of informality in the setting, the Chief Minister shared his vision and ideas, countered his detractors, and did a lot more during his one-hour interaction with The Pioneer in the lush
green lawns of his residence at Jubilee Hills.
NAVEENA GHANATE
Stating that delivering Crop Loan waiver to farmers as most “Satisfying thing in last 11months”, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy describes himself as a “Reformist”. When asked, YSR is known for agriculture, Chandrababu for IT, Revanth Reddy said, “ I am a reformist. I want to bring reforms like P V Narasimha Rao. Like Man Mohan Singh who is known for reforms. In that direction, be it sports university, Skill university , Integrated residential schools, Musi rejuvenation, Future City, I am bringing policy reforms. We saw what happened in Spain and Paris floods. I want the city to thrive and have a safe future.”. He cited the example of ISB or Nalsar and said who knew what’s it future would be when the foundation stone was set. “I am preparing policy document for every sector and we are not rushing it. The vision is for 10years and all our plans are not just for 5years”.
Speaking on Musi Rejuvenation CM said, “We have only made marking RB-X to tell them that you are in buffer zone or FTL Limits.
We will be compensating the people. Just because we are marking doesn’t mean we will demolish”.
CM said that during TRS regime permissions were given and lakes nad parks were occupied.
On HYDRAA, CM said that htere is no slowdown. He said, “Those that were already marked as encroachments were demolished. Now we are making framework and evaluating the legal aspects. The lakes in the city have not been demarcated. While there are lake boundaries for Osman Sagar, there are no boundaries for Himayath Sagar. BRS government didn’t even do that, so how will we know whether someone’s house is encroached or not?. We are working on this technical aspects”
When asked if HYDRAA and Musi impacted real estate, CM Revanth said, “Real estate slowdown is across the country including Delhi, Pune, Benalguru and so with Hyderabad. During TRS they allowed outrightly illegal construction without following rules like floor space index, Common areas, connecting roads. Even in a 30ft road they gave permission to 18floors building. How to even demolish it. Such illegal practices needs to be checked. We are giving permissions based on rules. I want to make it online. They used to give permissions offline as and when they wanted”.
When asked about one month curfew in Hyderabad, CM Said, “Business is as usual in the city. There is no difference and whenever there are festivals, the cp’s have powers. BRS is trying to portray as if something wrong or curfew, but the lives of people have not been impacted”.
CM said, “Have we stopped any protest? 4homeguards are enough to arrest Harish Rao or KTR, but we don’t want to do it. We are democratic. If someone wants to do Dharna we are allowing at Dharna Chowk. Even without an invite, he (KTR) went to Dharna and we didn’t stop”.
Speaking about fulfilling six gaurantees he said, “Mallikarjun Kharge is a senior politician and he said it is as a caution. BJP is driving the narrative as if we are unable to implement”.
CM Revanth Reddy said that Implementing Crop Loan waiver is the most satisfying thing. “I am doing everything at saturation. Be it free bus scheme, all women got it, 200units of free power, Rs10lakh ArogyaSri, Rs500gas Cylinder. Even for Rs2lakh crop loan waiver, I said I will do upto it. We already did for 22lakh farmers and the remaining are pending due to issues, which will also be done. I know I haven’t delivered everything yet, but we need to do lot of correction before we go ahead”.
On Paddy procurement, CM said that the money is being credited in just couple of days unlike before. “Not just now, generally at start there are always procurement issues which are all being sorted. We are also giving Rs500 bonus to fine rice”, he said.
CM Revanth Reddy addressed the issue of giving contracts to Megha Engineering Infra. He said, “Yes I called it East India Company. It is open tender and I can’t stop him from not participating. It is rule of law to allow him to participate. Where did the “office of profit” go when Ponguleti was MP in BRS regime. In last 10years Ponguleti did works nearly worth 10000crores and he was MP in BRS. Likewise, Prathima group associated with BRS MP has done many projects. A media house in which KCR is investor, his daughter-in-law is MD – Isn’t all this office of profit?”
They are saying I gave project to Srujan Reddy, but it is open tender of which only a share of works has been given to this company. It is not even few hundreds of crores but KTR is claiming it to be Rs8888crore scam. On Adani, CM said that he is taking investments from them and not giving off everything.
On good relations with Centre he said, So far we haven’t given any DPRs or anything, so it hasn’t been tough with them and largely cordial.
On being termed as “RS Brothers” (Revanth Sanjay brothers), KTR said, “Can BJP and Congress ever be together. Does KTR even have sense to say something like that? When BJP wants to attack they will allow aggressive leaders to talk. BJP and Congress can never collude”.
