CM Revanth Reddy Launches Maha Lakshmi, Rajiv Arogyasri

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday launched the Maha Lakshmi scheme offering free travel in TSRTC buses for women, and the Rs 10 lakh insurance under the Rajiv Arogyasri scheme as part of which all the poor in Telangana will be provided free medical treatment in all empanelled hospitals.

On the Assembly premises at the launch of the Maha Lakshmi scheme, zero charge tickets were issued to ministers D Anasuya (Seethakka) and Konda Surekha, and Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumari for a TSRTC bus.

Later, the Chief Minister along with his cabinet colleagues and newly elected MLAs travelled on the bus from the Assembly premises to the Dr B R Ambedkar statue on the Tank Bund and returned to the Assembly. At the Tank Bund, the Chief Minister garlanded to the statue of Dr B R Ambedkar and paid respects to him.

Both the schemes were launched coinciding with the Congress Parliamentary party president Sonia Gandhi's birthday on December 9.

Speaking on the occasion on the Assembly premises, Revanth Reddy said that December 9 was a very special festive occasion for Telangana State. He said that on December 9, 2008, under the leadership of the then UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the process to establish a separate Telangana State had begun, and that it had made a reality the 60-year-old aspiration and dream of the Telangana people.

The Chief Minister said that it was with inspiration from Sonia Gandhi that the Congress had given its six guarantees to the people in its poll manifesto, and that Gandhi herself gave the concepts for the six guarantees.

"Like the way Sonia Gandhi kept her promise regarding creating a separate Telangana State, the Congress government too will fulfil the six guarantees within 100 days of its rule," Reddy said.

While the free bus travel is available to any woman at all, about 90 lakh families below the poverty line will benefit through the Rajiv Arogyasri scheme. 1,672 different medical packages and 21 specialty services are available under the Arogyasri scheme.

The Chief Minister also thanked Protem Speaker Akbaruddin Owaisi who administered the oath of office to the newly elected legislators.

On the occasion, the CM also presented a cheque for Rs 2 crore to world boxing champion Nikhat Zareen, who is undergoing training in Patiala.