Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao hinted at major overhaul of the administrative machinery in the coming days.
“There will be major changes in the administration. The government has decided to adopt an uncompromising attitude in the interests of the people,” the Chief Minister said, participating in a debate during the passage of the Appropriation Bill in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.
He said the government was checking leakages to ensure that the benefits of welfare and developmental programmes reached the needy. The State, which commenced its journey with huge uncertainties as well as crisis in the power sector five years ago, acquired thorough knowledge about its resources and needs and was hence, able to prioritise the needs of the people.
The government had accordingly decided to leverage the economy by spending on priority sectors like education for which over 11.2% of the budget was allocated. “There is a need to change the traditional ways of thinking,” Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao said, stressing the need for imparting accountability at all levels. In the housing sector, for instance, the government was contemplating to hand over the responsibility of assessing the needs village wise by conducting survey through field assistants and village secretaries.
Once the assessment was made, adequate allocations would be made for the sector and the government was prepared to take the help from the Centre based on the priorities of the new government that would take over soon . “We can seek ₹4,000 crore to ₹5,000 crore from the Centre depending on its priorities in addition to the allocation made in the budget,” he said.
The Chief Minister was critical of the main opposition Congress for its charges that the government failed in providing reservations to backward class communities in proportion to their population. “The Congress has done nothing for the BCs. It was N.T. Rama Rao who gave 50% reservation to BCs in the local bodies,” he said.
Recalling that the TRS government had addressed letters to the Central government seeking constitution of an exclusive Ministry for the BCs as also enhancing their quota, he said the government had ensured that 50% quota was provided to BCs in market committees chairman posts.
House adjourned sine die
Meanwhile, the Legislative Assembly and the Council were adjourned sine die after the passage of the Appropriation Bill 2019-20. The three-day session saw passage of four Bills, two pertaining to Appropriation and one each relating to Panchayat Raj and the GST amendment.
