HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today launched two new schemes including the Rs five lakh insurance cover for farmers.
Unfurling the national flag at the historic Golconda Fort here on the occasion of Independence Day, he also launched the economic support scheme for backward classes.
Under the 'Rythu Bima' scheme, every farmer would get life insurance cover of Rs five lakh.
The state government has already paid Rs 636 crore towards premium for the scheme.
According to official sources, 28 lakh farmers in the age group of 18 to 59 would be insured.
The government would bear an annual premium of Rs 2271.50 per farmer.
Under the economic support scheme for backward classes, the government would provide a grant of Rs 50,000 to the beneficiaries to start small businesses.
Rao, who spoke on the number of welfare schemes being implemented by his government, said the second phase of distribution of cheques under the 'Rythu Bandhu' investment support scheme for farmers would begin in November.
As per the scheme, the government provides Rs 8,000 per acre for two crops to every farmer as investment support.
In the first phase, the state government has distributed Rs 5,111 crore to 49,49,000 farmers.
The government is setting up a mega textile park in Warangal to provide employment to weavers.
'Textile hubs' are being set up at Sircilla and Gadwal, he said.
The chief minister said the state government is spending Rs 2,000 crore on minorities welfare and development adding it has been decided to set up a special IT park for IT industrialists from the minority sections.
Work is on at a brisk pace to run Hyderabad metro rail services from Ameerpet to LB Nagar next month and from Ameerpet to Hitech City in November, Rao said.
The state government is implementing a special plan to make Hyderabad a global city, he said adding different construction programmes have been taken up with Rs 35,000 crore.
A plan to improve basic facilities would be implemented in Hyderabad at a cost of Rs 50,000 crore in the next five years, he added.