Hyderabad: Telangana is witnessing a renewed phase of development and welfare under the Congress government, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said on Thursday, asserting that the state had moved from what he described as a decade of destruction under the previous BRS regime towards a new trajectory of growth since 2023.
Addressing a public meeting in Kukatpally after laying the foundation stone for the ambitious ‘Indiramma Houses Towers’ project, the Chief Minister appealed to people to compare the performance of the previous 10-year BRS government with the nearly two years of Congress rule and assess the pace of development taking place across Telangana.
“We are steering Telangana away from destruction and towards development,” Revanth Reddy said, adding that he had resolved, as a young leader, to work patiently and persistently for the progress of the state.
One lakh homes for urban poor in first phase
A major focus of the Chief Minister’s address was the government’s housing programme for economically weaker sections in Hyderabad.
The ‘Indiramma Houses Towers’ initiative is aimed at providing secure and dignified housing to the urban poor. The government has decided to construct and provide one lakh houses in the first phase, offering thousands of families the opportunity to own a permanent home.
Taking a dig at the previous BRS government, Revanth Reddy said the promise of providing double-bedroom houses to every poor family had not been fulfilled. He assured beneficiaries that the Congress government would work to turn their long-standing dream of owning a house into reality.
“As your brother, I will stand by you to make your dream of owning a home a reality,” the Chief Minister said.
The project is being positioned as an important component of the government’s broader urban welfare and housing agenda, particularly for families struggling to secure affordable accommodation in Hyderabad.
Assurance on Section 22A lands
The Chief Minister also sought to allay concerns among landowners regarding properties listed under Section 22A.
Revanth Reddy assured people that genuine landowners would not lose their ownership rights and there was no need for panic. He appealed to citizens not to fall prey to what he described as false propaganda circulating on social media regarding prohibited and restricted lands.
The assurance comes amid concerns among sections of landowners over the status of properties covered by restrictions under Section 22A. The Chief Minister said the government would protect legitimate ownership and urged people to rely on official information rather than rumours.
Women’s empowerment at the centre of welfare agenda
Highlighting the Congress government’s welfare initiatives, Revanth Reddy said several programmes had significantly improved the economic and social position of women across the state.
He cited the distribution of ‘Indiramma Sarees’ as an initiative aimed at upholding the dignity of women, along with free bus travel for women in Telangana State Road Transport Corporation buses.
The Chief Minister also highlighted bank-linkage loans worth ₹65,000 crore extended to women’s self-help groups. According to him, women’s groups are being encouraged to become entrepreneurs through initiatives such as petrol bunks and solar power plants, while dedicated stalls at Shilparamam are providing self-help groups with opportunities to market and sell their products.
“These initiatives are bringing a big transformation in the lives of women,” Revanth Reddy said.
Free power, subsidised LPG and quality rice
The Chief Minister also outlined several welfare measures aimed at supporting economically vulnerable households.
He said the government was supplying fine-quality rice to 3.28 crore people, providing up to 200 units of free electricity to poor families and making cooking gas available for ₹500.
According to Revanth Reddy, the government is continuing to implement these welfare programmes despite inheriting a substantial debt burden from the previous administration.
He said the government was balancing welfare commitments with its broader development agenda and working to ensure that the benefits of economic growth reach ordinary families.
Sharp attack on BRS over ‘occult rituals’
During his speech, the Chief Minister also took a strong political swipe at BRS leaders, alleging that certain forces had performed ‘Kshudra Puja’ or occult rituals with the intention of obstructing Telangana’s development and bringing drought-like conditions to the state.
Revanth Reddy said such alleged attempts had failed and invoked divine blessings while speaking about the state’s recent development and rainfall.
“God is on our side and the state is receiving good rains,” he said, asserting that efforts allegedly made with malicious intent against Telangana’s progress had ultimately backfired.
Special development focus for Kukatpally
Revanth Reddy also recalled his political association with Kukatpally and the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency.
He said the people of Kukatpally had supported his election as an MP from Malkajgiri, but his ability to undertake development works at the time had been constrained by a shortage of funds.
The Chief Minister directed IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu to prepare comprehensive development plans for the Kukatpally constituency, with special attention to its infrastructure and developmental requirements.
The direction signals a renewed focus on Kukatpally, one of Hyderabad’s rapidly expanding urban constituencies, where growing population, traffic, housing and infrastructure demands have increased the need for planned development.
Revanth Reddy’s address combined a strong political comparison between the BRS and Congress administrations with a detailed account of the government’s welfare initiatives. The Chief Minister said Telangana was now moving forward with a development-oriented approach, while placing housing, women’s empowerment, basic amenities and protection of citizens’ rights at the centre of the government’s agenda.