The TRS working president and Municipal Administration Minister K.T. Rama Rao has accused the Central government of ignoring Telangana in providing flood relief but promptly helping States where the BJP is in power.
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At a press conference here on Sunday, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was prompt to release the money to Karnataka within four days of a letter seeking assistance whereas there is no sign of help to Telangana.
He said Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 15 explaining the losses suffered in floods in Hyderabad and requested for release of ₹1,350 crore as immediate relief. At the same time, ₹669 crore was released to Karnataka within four days of its Chief Minister B.S. Yeduirappa writing a letter to the Centre.
Taking a dig at the Union Minister of State for Home, G. Kishan Reddy, he said the Minister was not of any assistance to the State while their leaders make tall claims that were nothing but lies. “The State BJP leaders should introspect and get assistance from the Centre as a responsible party rather than making silly claims or take-up programmes to hamper the government’s assistance to flood victims,” he said.
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“After their utter failure to get any assistance from the Centre, they are now taking up a programme ‘Mana City Mana BJP’ (Our city Our BJP). What right do they have to go to people with their failures?” he asked.
‘Money distribution transparent’
Mr. Rao brushed aside the allegation of misappropriation of money in the flood relief distribution of ₹10,000 to the affected families and said Congress and BJP were making baseless allegations.
“The government has account of each and every penny distributed with Aadhar numbers of telephone numbers of beneficiaries recorded and available with the GHMC officials,” he said. “However, some parties are provoking people when the assistance was going on smoothly. Where were they when TRS Ministers and MLAs were visiting flood-affected families every day?” he asked.
The Minister justified distribution of cash rather than cheques or online transfers stating that bank passbooks of the majority of people were either washed away in the floods or soaked. “We couldn’t ask people to get their bank account numbers as placing cash in their hands was more important,” he said.
“The Chief Minister was kind enough to release ₹554 crore immediately for relief measures and the Opposition parties are making politics out of such a gracious step. If any people are left out for any reason the government will cover them. If there is a need we will ask the CM to release another ₹100 crore,” he said.