‘Encroachers want HYDRAA scrapped’

metro india news  I hyderabad

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy strongly defended the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA). He asserted that only encroachers and vested interests are demanding the scrapping of HYDRAA because the agency has begun acting firmly against illegal occupations of government land. Addressing media in New Delhi, the Chief Minister said the state government has ensured complete administrative discretion in appointing HYDRAA officials to strengthen accountability and improve the protection of public assets. He made it clear that the law would apply equally to everyone and warned that neither influential individuals nor the poor would be spared if they were found to have encroached upon public land.

Citing instances such as encroachments at Bathukamma Kunta, Gandipet and the N Convention property, the Chief Minister questioned whether such lands belong to the people of Telangana or to a privileged few. He reiterated that HYDRAA was created to protect lakes, government lands, public spaces and other valuable assets from illegal occupation, and that the government would continue its drive against encroachments without discrimination.

Referring to the recent court verdict, the Chief Minister said the government would study the judgment carefully before deciding its future course of action while ensuring that the objectives of HYDRAA remain intact. He also recalled that former Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar had faced more than 400 contempt cases and alleged that the previous BRS government had repeatedly misled the courts through malicious litigation.

Appealing to the media to act responsibly, he urged news organizations not to support misinformation campaigns allegedly funded by vested interests, stating that false propaganda against HYDRAA is being spread through social media using money power.

CM Revanth meets Shivraj

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday met Union Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi and sought the Centre’s support for a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening rural infrastructure, expanding employment opportunities, and improving the livelihoods of farmers in Telangana.

The Chief Minister urged the Union Minister to allocate 11.56 lakh houses to Telangana under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY G) 2.0, pointing out that rural housing construction had been neglected during the previous government’s tenure. He stressed that the allocation would help address the housing needs of thousands of rural poor families across the state.

Revanth Reddy also requested the Centre to include the state government’s Indiramma Housing Scheme under the eligible works of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. He proposed that beneficiaries be provided 90 days of wage employment through MGNREGA for house construction, ensuring both livelihood support and faster completion of rural housing projects.

Highlighting the challenges posed by the prevailing El Niño conditions, the Chief Minister sought the inclusion of 10 additional categories of works under MGNREGA to strengthen climate resilience and improve farm incomes. These include vegetable cultivation pandals, fodder plots, mulberry plantations, silkworm rearing sheds, and other livelihood generating activities that would diversify income sources for rural households.

He also appealed for the inclusion of works related to land development, water conservation, soil improvement, and restoration of agricultural lands damaged by natural calamities under the rural employment programme. The Chief Minister said these interventions would help improve agricultural productivity, conserve natural resources, and enhance the resilience of farming communities against adverse climatic conditions.

The Union Minister was requested to extend all necessary support to Telangana’s proposals, with the Chief Minister expressing confidence that the measures would significantly strengthen rural development, create sustainable employment opportunities, and improve the quality of life for farmers and rural families across the state.