HYDERABAD: Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who has been trying to consolidate his party’s position in all sections of the electorate in the run-up to the next Assembly elections, has announced that the monthly pension of Rs 1,000 being given to members of toddy-tappers’ societies will hereafter be given to all toddy-tappers in the state.
“The pension being given to toddy-tappers has been raised recently from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000. So far, only members of Toddy-tappers Co-operative Societies (TCS) have been getting pension. Our government has taken a decision to extend the benefit to TFT members from now onwards, benefiting about 30,000 families of the Gouda community. Officials have been instructed to complete the process of converting TFTs into TCSs in ten days’ time on receipt of such applications,” the chief minister said while making a statement in the state Assembly here on Thursday on the measures being taken by the government for the welfare of Goudas.
He also announced waiver of all arrears with regard to tree tax on palm and date trees, which is being paid by the tappers on the basis of trees. “Even though this is going to place a Rs 16-crore burden on the exchequer every year, the decision was taken for the welfare of the Gouda community.”
The chief minister also increased the licence renewal period of the toddy-tappers’ societies from five years to ten years. He announced some more sops such as construction of a Gouda Bhavan in the state capital on a 5-acre land by investing Rs 5 crore.
“The Gouda Bhavan will showcase the glory of the Gouda community. We hope this building will become a centre for socio-economic and political uplift of Goudas in the state,” he added.
Rao alleged that the previous governments had badly delayed payment of ex gratia in cases of death or permanent disability caused to tappers who fell from palm trees while tapping. The arrears pending for three years before formation of Telangana state amounting to Rs 6.38 crore were paid by the TRS government at one go immediately after coming to power, he recalled.
“In addition to that, on humanitarian grounds, we have increased the ex gratia amount. Previously in case of death Rs 2 lakh and in case of permanent disability Rs 0.5 lakh was paid. We have increased the amount in both the cases to Rs 5 lakh,” he said.
‘New teachers from first day of school’
Hyderabad : The schools in the State will reopen on June 2 after summer holidays and the new teachers would be positioned on the first day itself, Deputy Chief Minister (Education) K Srihari announced in the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday. Replying to debate on demands of education sector in the Assembly, Srihari said the TSPSC conducted teacher recruitment test for 8,792 posts in Gurukul schools. The process will be completed in April and May.
Srihari also said they had sanctioned 1,202 posts in junior colleges, 1,384 posts in degree colleges, 519 posts in polytechnic colleges and 1,551 posts in degree colleges. He added that the Centre was extending financial assistance for providing uniform to school children up to 8th class. The 9th and 10th class students were not getting uniforms now. The Assembly debated and adopted as many as 11 demands.
Govt denies packing FCCs with TRS leaders
Hyderabad : Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy denied the charge that TRS leaders have been nominated to the Farmers Coordination Committees (FCCs), and claimed that the government set up the Samithis to unite unorganised farmers. Reacting to allegations of BJP member G Kishan Reddy in the Assembly on Thursday, the minister said that while constituting the FCCs, the government took care to see that only farmers were accepted.