The State government will soon launch a programme ‘Health profile of the State of Telangana’, to record the health related data of each and every citizen, and computerise the same.
Health check-ups will be conducted and cards will be issued to all the 3.64 crore citizens enumerated during the Samagra Kutumba Survey (Intensive Household Survey), Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao announced during his address to the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.
Modalities are still being thrashed out, and once the health profiling is complete — expected to be done in eight months — citizens will be eligible for annual medical check-ups at the State expense, Mr. Rao said. This model, adopted from the United States of America (USA), will be introduced in the upcoming budget. Mr. Rao has also let a teaser slip into his speech, about enhancement in the monetary assistance under the Kalyana Lakshmi/Shaadi Mubarak schemes, though he refrained from spelling the actual increase.
In his lengthy address, the Chief Minister refuted the allegations of BJP legislator G. Kishan Reddy that the State’s debt has increased up to ₹ 2 lakh crore in four years of TRS rule. Correcting the figures, he said the State had inherited a debt of ₹ 72,000 crore, which has grown to ₹ 1.42 lakh crore now, which is much lower than the credit eligibility of the State as per FRBM norms. Justifying the loans, the Chief Minister said capital expenditure during the decade ending 2014 in the joint State stood at ₹ 1,29,683 crore, out of which ₹ 54,000 crore should have been spent for Telangana, proportionate to the population. However, the actual expenditure did not amount to even half of this sum. In four years of Telangana as separate State, the government has spent ₹ 1,24,966 crore on creation of capital assets, which is the proof of the government’s financial prudence and transparency.
On the allegations of repression on dissent, Mr. Rao said the protests should be within permissible limits. Repression will continue if demonstrations are held against police permission, he said, and reiterated that any breach of law and order will not be tolerated.
Justifying the imprisonment of MRPS leader Manda Krishna Madiga, he said the latter’s role in SC categorisation has become redundant, and that he had hatched a plot together with the Congress party to create hassles during World Telugu Congress. The Chief Minister offered to lead the Madigas henceforth, and asked them not to repose trust in others.
Mentioning the 50% cap on reservations imposed by the Supreme Court, which affected the proposed raise in STs and minorities quota, he said the Central government alone could address this issue. This was one reason why he wished to enter national politics, and his desire was for an Indian people’s front rather than a Third Front, which would represent the aspirations of all the underprivileged sections across the country.
Mr. Rao further spoke elaborately about various programmes and achievements of his government including irrigation projects, Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya, KCR Kits, industries, double bedroom houses, power projects, residential schools, fine rice, pensions, sheep distribution, agricultural investment support, land records overhaul, and others.
