State Administration Has Collapsed: BRS

BRS leader and former minister T Harish Rao today alleged that the administration in the State had collapsed and that the government had fallen asleep.

He made these remarks during an informal chat with media persons at the BRSLP office in the Assembly.

Rao alleged that serious issues were plaguing the people across the State. He said that sanitation in the village panchayats had become chaotic. The workers had also been deprived of their salaries, he added. "Under KCR's regime, Rs 275 crore was released to the village panchayats every month," he said. He also said that the Centre had released Rs 500 crore to the panchayats before March, but that the new government had not released a single paisa.

He also claimed that the Aasara pensions, which were pending for two months, were paid only after the BRS called for an agitation. "When the mid-day meal scheme staff were not paid their salaries, too, movement came in the State government only after our taking up the matter with it. The MGNREGS material component bills worth around Rs 2,500 crore are also pending in the State. The scheme has been affected due to the non-payment of matching grant by the State despite receiving funds from the Centre - the Centre gave Rs 850 crore for the scheme but the State has not released Rs 350 crore towards its share," he said.

"Small contractors who have taken up works across the State are committing suicides due to non-receipt of bills. The condition of field assistants and panchayat secretaries in the villages is unimaginable, with their having to spend money out of their pockets due to lack of funds. Electricity supply to the gram panchayats and government schools is being cut due to their not paying the electricity bills. The electricity department is reeling under a severe crisis, and the government is giving bizarre reasons for the power cuts. Even diesel money to the police vehicles is not being given. 30% to 40% of those eligible for loan waiver of up to Rs 1 lakh have not been extended the waiver benefit. And the cheques given for Kalyana Lakshmi and Shaadi Mubarak are bouncing," he lamented.

Rao also alleged that CM Revanth Reddy was following double standards in the appointments of IAS and IPS officers. "CM Revanth Reddy, who was in the opposition when postings were given to IAS and IPS officers during the BRS government's tenure, had commented that officers from Bihar were being given lucrative postings. Today, when there are so many eligible officers of Telangana, then why is it that a person from Punjab has been appointed as the DGP of Telangana," Rao asked.