Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao

Telangana CM Favours Extension of National Lockdown by 1-2 Weeks

While agreeing that continuing the lockdown would impact adversely the economy, hesaid ways can be found to recover from it once the threat of COVID-19 goes away but human lives cannot be saved.

Hyderabad: Asserting that lockdown was the nation’s sole weapon to fight the coronavirus, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend it beyond April 14 by one or two weeks for saving the lives of people.

While agreeing that continuing the lockdown would impact adversely the economy, he, however, said ways can be found to recover from it once the threat of COVID-19 goes away but human lives cannot be saved.

“I am for the lockdown of the country furthermore after April 15. Because we can recover from economic problem. But, we cannot recover the lives of the people… So, I propose at least for another one-two weeks. Extension should be at least for one or two weeks more. Then we can review, he told reporters here.

Rao, who has been backing Modi’s initiatives in fighting the coronavirus, from the beginning, said given the spread of the virus in the country, lockdown should be its only weapon.

It would be difficult for the country to contain it in view of its poor health infrastructure, he said.

“I appeal to the Honourable Prime Minister, to the Government of India, please extend the lockdown without any hesitation,” he said.
Rao further said: “Consult everybody, consult every Chief Minister, have a video conference with entire country, but take a conscious decision. Because, we have no other weapon in India to contain this dreadful virus. Our only weapon could be extending the lockdown.”

Also Read: Myths, Rumours and Spectacles in India’s Fight Against COVID-19

If the lockdown was lifted, it would be difficult to control the situation if markets were opened and restrictions on various sectors eased, he said.

“Better is to put the issue before the people and debate,” he added.

Recalling that the Prime Minister told him that further consultations would be held, Rao expressed hope that a positive decision would come out.

In the process, it was important to ensure ration for the poor and his government had been taking care of various sections, including migrant workers, orphans, people in old age homes, beggars, transgender and others in the state, he said.

Rao said he also supported the Centres move to effect a 30 per cent cut in the salaries of MPs.

It can be said that the country was moving on a safe path on containing the virus, with measures like lockdown having been announced. Otherwise, it would have faced a very serious situation, he said.

Rao appealed to those who attended the Tablighi Jamat religious congregation in Delhi and yet to be traced to report to the authorities.

He announced a 10 per cent incentive over the gross salary to all the health staff in the state.

He deprecated those who made light of the Prime Ministers call to light lamps on Sunday as an expression of resolve to defeat the virus.

Asserting that there was no community transmission of the virus in the state, he accused sections of media of carrying false reports.

The number of active cases in the state cumulatively stood at 308 as on Monday night, he said.

According to a media bulletin, 30 fresh cases were reported on Monday while the COVID-19 toll remained at 11.

Rao expressed anguish over the loss of life in countries like America and said the virus was a crisis faced by mankind.

Telangana Proposes Pay Cut for Govt Employees Amid Nationwide Lockdown

Chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao held a review meeting on the state’s finances in the backdrop of the coronavirus lockdown and its impact on revenues.

Hyderabad: With dwindling revenues following the ongoing lockdown in the state, the Telangana government on Monday decided to implement pay cut for government employees, including All India Services Officers and pensioners.

Chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao held a review meeting on the state’s finances in the backdrop of the coronavirus lockdown and impact on the revenues.

After the meeting it was decided to cut 75% of salaries of the chief minister, ministers, MLAs, MLCs, chairmen of various corporations and local public representatives, an official release said.

There will be a pay cut of 60% in AIS officers such as IAS, IPS and IFS while it will be 50% in state government employees.

However, the government spared Class IV employees, outsourcing and contract employees with just 10% cut.

Salaries and pensions of all employees of all public sector corporations and government-aided organisations will also be deducted by 50%.

The release did not clarify when the dues will be paid.

Condemning the pay cut, the Telangana BJP, in a statement, said it was a hasty decision.

“BJP feels it is an extreme measure and unwarranted,” the party said in a release

‘Impossible’ to Merge TSRTC With Government, Says Telangana CM

Terming the employees’ unions strike as “illegal”, he said that a 67% hike in salary had already been given and hence no more demands remained to be fulfilled.

Hyderabad: Hardening his stand, Telangana chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday ruled out the merger of the ailing Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) with the government, as demanded by the striking employees and indicated that more buses would be hired to meet the requirements of commuters.

Hitting out at the leaders of the employees’ unions of RTC over the 20-day, continuing strike, he accused them of throwing the corporation into dire straits by putting forth more demands despite the staff being given a 67% hike in salaries.

Rao stuck to his stand that the strike was “illegal” as the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) was already in force.

“With the RTC already incurring heavy losses (Rs 1,200 crore per annum), the demands of the striking employees cannot be fulfilled and the corporation cannot continue the way it existed prior to the stir,” he told reporters here.

He asserted that the demand of employees’ unions to merge RTC with the government was impossible to fulfil.

Noting that the RTC does not have adequate funds, he said it also lost additional income during the Dussehra festival season due to the agitation.

A protester supporting the demands of TSRTC employees holds a placard. Photo: PTI

Slamming the union leaders, he claimed it was “a strike, borne out of cheap union politics… They themselves (leaders of unions) are making RTC sink (by their actions). Nobody in the world can save it.”

Rao said that there were 57 corporations and questioned what would happen if others were to make a similar demand once RTC was merged with the government.

Extending an olive branch, the chief minister said the RTC staff and officers were efficient and he would not find fault with them, adding it would be in their best interest if they came out of the influence of unions.

Those who wish to join duty should approach the concerned authorities.

If necessary, the state government would hire 5,000 to 6,000 additional buses to cater to the travelling public, he said.

The government had earlier said around 10,500 vehicles including 3,000 buses from RTC’s fleet and about 2,000 private buses besides vehicles from educational institutions were being operated daily across the state to ensure that commuters were not put to hardship.

Recalling his stint as transport minister in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, Rao said that he had sympathy for the corporation.

Also Read: As Telangana Bus Strike Continues, KCR’s Popularity Takes a Beating

Different employees and workers unions of the TSRTC began an indefinite strike from October 5 across Telangana on a call given by the Joint Action Committee (JAC), demanding the merger of the RTC with the government and recruitment to various posts, among others.

The Telangana high court had on last Friday directed the RTC and the employees to hold talks and settle all their disputes before October 28. Following the court directives, the government has decided to examine the demands other than the merger of the corporation.

The other demands are being studied by a committee of RTC officials at present.

Responding to Rao’s statement, employees’ union leader Aswathama Reddy said it was not appropriate for the chief minister to speak in a manner, which amounted to ‘insulting’ the workers. The same workers the CM was ‘insulting’ had supported Rao during the Telangana statehood agitation, Reddy said.

Claiming that Rao had then assured the merger of RTC with the government, he accused him of going back on his promise.

(PTI)

TSRTC Strike: TRS Leader Asks Unions to Hold Talks With Government

K. Keshava Rao also appealed to the government to consider the employees’ charter.

Hyderabad: As the indefinite strike by the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) employees entered the tenth day on Monday, senior ruling TRS leader K. Keshava Rao asked the workers to end the stir and resolve the issues amicably through talks, while a bandh was observed in Khammam protesting the death of a driver who immolated himself.

Rao also appealed to the government, which has taken a tough stand so far and declared the strike as illegal, to consider the employees’ charter, barring the demand for merger of the TSRTC.

Responding to the appeal of the senior TRS leader, a union leader asked Rao to mediate on the issue.

On October 6, chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said that all striking employees would be fired and has refused to hold talks with the unions.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Joint Action Committee of the employees’ unions submitted a memorandum to state governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, seeking her intervention in the matter and claimed she responded positively.

The developments came in the backdrop of the continuing standoff and the death of two employees, who ended their lives and attempted suicides by two others over the past few days.

Nearly 48,000 workers of TSRTC are on an indefinite strike from October 5 in response to a call by the JAC over demands, including the merger of the corporation with the government and filling up of vacant posts.

In the first signs of a possible softening of the stand by the government, Rao, the TRS parliamentary leader and party secretary-general, appealed to the employees to call off the strike and sort out the issue with the government in a ‘legitimate way.’

He urged the government to consider the employees’ issues, other than the demand to merging the RTC with the government.

Reacting to Rao’s statement, TSRTC-JAC leader E. Ashwathama Reddy told reporters that Rao should mediate and help resolve the issues through talks. However, he said all the issues were linked with the merger and if that was done, other issues would be resolved. “Let the government first begin the process of talks with us,” he said.

Since the strike began, chief minister KCR had taken a tough stand, saying the agitating workers had “self-dismissed” themselves and made it clear that under no circumstances would the RTC be merged with the government. He had also ruled out talks with the employees or taking them back, terming the agitation as “illegal.”

Two employees die, two more attempt to end lives

The 55-year-old driver had succumbed to burns on Sunday, a day after setting himself ablaze, allegedly in protest against the government not conceding to the workers’ demands. Hours after Reddy’s death, conductor Surender Goud killed himself.

In a fresh incident on Monday, a 42-year-old conductor tried to end his life by slashing his left forearm with a blade, but his attempt was foiled and he has been hospitalised and a case registered for attempting suicide, police said. Another TSRTC driver, aged around 40, doused himself with petrol at a depot in Warangal district on Sunday. However, police immediately intervened and foiled his bid.

Ashwathama Reddy said that during the meeting with the governor, the JAC delegation also submitted video-clippings and newspaper reports on the alleged suppression of their agitation by the government.

Sixty Days After Taking Oath, KCR to Expand Cabinet on February 19

The state’s budget is expected to be announced on February 22.

Hyderabad: Ending over two months of speculation, Telangana chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to expand his two-member cabinet on February 19, said an official note form his office Friday.

After his party’s spectacular victory in the December 7 assembly elections, Chandrasekhar Rao took over as chief minister for a second term on December 13.

Mohd Mehmood Ali was the only minister to take oath of office along with him.

“Honourable chief minister Sri K. Chandrashekhar Rao decided to expand the state cabinet on 19th February 2019. The chief minister after meeting the Governor Sri E.S.L Narasimhan on Friday afternoon at Raj Bhavan conveyed his decision to expand the Cabinet,” it said.

February 19 being “Magha Shuddha Pournami” an auspicious day as per the Telugu calendar, the chief minister decided to expand the cabinet and have the swearing in ceremony at 11:30 am on that day.

Necessary instructions have been issued to officials concerned to make arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony of new ministers, the note said.

Opposition parties in the State attacked KCR over the delay in forming a “full cabinet”.

Telangana can have a maximum of 17 ministers as per the constitutional cap of 15% of the assembly strength of 119 members.

The state’s budget is expected to be announced on February 22.

Telangana Congress Hits out at TRS for ‘Silence’ on Protests Against Centre

Telangana Congress treasurer said it was highly regrettable that the TRS MPs did not effectively raise their voice in parliament for the rights of the southern state.

Hyderabad: Hitting out at the ruling TRS in Telangana for its alleged silence on the opposition protests against the NDA government at the Centre, the Congress unit of the southern state on Wednesday said chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao should hold a stir in Delhi or elsewhere against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the alleged injustices meted out to the state.

“When the entire opposition is raising its voice against the injustices being done by the BJP government, the TRS is aligning with PM Modi,” Telangana Congress treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy said in a statement.

“When one state (Andhra Pradesh) is openly holding protests against the injustices, why KCR is supporting the BJP by remaining silent on the issue?” he asked.

Reddy alleged that Telangana did not get its due share in any of the five regular budgets and the latest interim budget of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

He said it was highly regrettable that the TRS MPs did not effectively raise their voice in Parliament and miserably failed to fight for the rights of the southern state.

KCR Against Sharing Stage With Rahul, to Skip Mamata’s January 19 Rally

For TRS, Congress is the main opposition in Telangana and KCR had last year described Rahul Gandhi as the “biggest baffoon” in the country.

Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao will in all likelihood give a miss to the January 19 rally of opposition parties proposed by the TMC in Kolkata as he does not want to share stage with the Congress, party sources said.

KCR, as he is popularly known, had recently met Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as part of his renewed efforts towards forging a ‘non-Congress, non-BJP’ federal front of regional parties.

While the Telangana chief minister spoke to media after their meeting in Kolkata on December 24 last, Mamata, reportedly not in favour of excluding the Congress in the proposed grand opposition alliance, did not offer any comment.

Asked if KCR would attend the Kolkata rally, TRS deputy floor leader in the Lok Sabha, B Vinod Kumar said on Thursday, “I do not know whether KCR got the invitation or not. I am not aware of it. He might have got the invitation. I do not think KCR will attend when Rahul Gandhi is attending.”

For TRS, Congress is the main opposition in Telangana and KCR had last year described its president Rahul Gandhi as the “biggest baffoon” in the country. The TRS returned to power last month, winning 88 seats in the 119-member Telangana Assembly, pushing the Congress to a distant second position with 19 seats. The BJP won in only one segment.

Also Read: Lone BJP Telangana MLA Refuses to Take Oath As Pro-Tem Speaker Is From AIMIM

KCR had also recently met Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJP) chief Naveen Patnaik seeking to drum up support for the federal front. Patnaik’s statement on Wednesday that his party would not align with the Congress and BJP has enthused the TRS.

“I do not think because of KCR’s visit, he (Patnaik) made such a statement. He took that position long back. He held the same view for a long time,” Kumar said.

He said both KCR and Patnaik have “same thoughts” as both are against aligning with the two national parties. The TRS leader said Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, who could not meet KCR during the latter’s visit to Delhi recently, was expected to visit the southern state “any time” to talk to the Telangana chief minister.

On BSP supremo Mayawati’s stance on KCR’s federal front, he said, “We did not discuss with her.” The TRS sources claimed that KCR’s federal front idea was gaining traction.

“….already that idea is broached. Mayawati and Akhilesh took a stand that they are not going to ally with Congress in Uttar Pradesh. They are also fighting against the Congress and BJP, leaving only two seats for Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi,” Kumar said. The TRS MP also cited the political scenario in some states, including West Bengal, Odisha and Telangana, where, he said, regional parties were set to take on both the Congress and BJP in triangular fights in the next Lok Sabha polls.

(PTI)