Three years down the line from Telangana formation on June 2, 2014, the TRS Government has heavily banked on mainly three programmes as game changer in State politics.
The promise of double bedroom houses for poor, implementation of Mission Kakatiya to de-silt tanks for higher storage capacities and recharging groundwater and Mission Bhagiratha to supply potable water to all households had become vote spinner for the TRS in every election after it assumed the reigns of power.
On the other hand, the Opposition has constantly maintained that at least one programme — 2 BHK houses — had the potential to upset the apple cart of TRS in next elections as people are disillusioned that it did not take off.
‘Akshaya patra’
The housing programme, described in political circles as ‘akshaya patra’ for the government, because it fetched votes, started off on a sound note at IDH Colony in Secunderabad two years ago with the construction of 396 impressive houses in 33 blocks.
It was followed by houses taken up in Erravelli and Narsannapet villages in Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s Gajwel constituency.
A total of 1,500 houses were completed so far though the government claimed that the work is fast in progress.
Tenders stage
According to a senior official of the Telangana State Housing Corporation, tenders were invited for 80,000 houses and that they were finalised for 40,000 of them.
Work had started in respect of 20,000 houses, which the Opposition leaders have been disputing. The government admitted in the budget session of the State Assembly that the response of contractors to the programme was not encouraging but the work would pick up this year.
Mission Kakatiya
On the other side of the spectrum, the government had earned a good name by taking up revival of nearly 23,000 out of 46,531 irrigation tanks in the State under Mission Kakatiya.
Fifteen crore cubic metres of silt was removed from tanks in 2015 and 2016, resulting in increase in six tmc ft water storage. The government is scheduled to sign an understanding with the ICRISAT for an impact assessment of the programme.
The Mission Bhagiratha is another programme that the government bet big and targeted completion by December this year.
Most work complete
Of the 25,000 villages where piped water is proposed to be supplied, work is already over in 3,000 habitations.
Water will also be given to residents in 65 municipalities and households within the radius of Outer Ring Road of the twin cities.
The government has budgeted an expenditure of ₹30,000 crore by the year-end, of which 80% will be loan component.
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