Since the formation of Telangana in 2014, the BRS government has embarked on filling 2.20 lakh vacancies. Out of these, 1.32 lakh positions have been filled, amounting to 13,000 jobs each year, said KT Rama Rao
Published Date – 04:51 PM, Sat – 28 October 23
BRS working president and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao at the Meet-the-Press programme organised in Hyderabad.
Hyderabad: Countering the notion that Telangana lagged in providing employment in the government sector, BRS working president and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao asserted that the BRS government has outperformed its predecessors by filling an average of 13,000 government jobs per year. He contrasted this with the performance of the Congress regime, which managed to fill only around 1,000 jobs annually.
Citing records of recruitment done between 2004 and 2014, Rama Rao noted that the erstwhile Congress administration in united Andhra Pradesh filled a total of 24,000 jobs across 23 districts. Calculating Telangana’s 42% share, this amounted to just 10,000 in all and 1,000 recruitments per year in Telangana, he elaborated.
Since the formation of Telangana in 2014, the BRS government has embarked on filling 2.20 lakh vacancies. Out of these, 1.32 lakh positions have been filled, amounting to 13,000 jobs each year. The exercise to fill up 90,000 odd jobs was in different states, he pointed out.
“Can any government led by Congress or BJP claim to have recruited on such a scale and at such speed?”, he sought to know during a Meet-the-Press programme organised here on Saturday by the Telangana union of Working Journalists.
Taking examples of statistics from TSPSC registrations, the Minister sought to refute opposition parties’ claims that 30 lakh youths were unemployed in the state. He cited attendance figures from various employment group exams, concluding that the high number of registrants also included currently employed individuals seeking better opportunities.
For example, when the Group – I exam was conducted first time, 3.5 lakh had appeared and the second time 2.30 lakh had appeared. The cumulative attendance of Group II, Group III and Group IV was 12.5 lakh candidates, he argued. “It is a misconception that 30 lakh youth are unemployed. Many private employees appeared for TSPSC exams. There is nothing wrong in that and the trend has changed”, the minister remarked.
Rama Rao was at ease during the course of the 95-minute interaction and fielded a volley of questions on a variety of topics. He cited data and facts offhand, without referring to notes and not losing his poise when newsmen tried to corner him with pointed questions.
Speaking on teacher recruitment, he remarked that 20,894 positions had been filled in state gurukuls. “Should DSC notifications be the sole measure for teacher recruitment? Aren’t those teaching in Gurukuls not teachers?” he sought to know from a questioner.
Taking a dig at the much-touted Karnataka model, the ruling party working president highlighted Karnataka’s ongoing struggles with power and water shortages. Farmers in Karnataka were protesting against the Congress government’s failure in fulfilling promises made during elections, he pointed out.
On the Telangana Congress leaders observation that protests of Karnataka farmers in Kodangal, Gadwal and other places were being orchestrated, the minister dismissed these observations as unfounded. He challenged the Telangana Congress leaders to join the BRS to jointly inspect the ground realities [in Karnataka].
He offered to arrange a bus for the Telangana Congress leaders to go to Karnataka. “Let’s speak to farmers and seek votes on whether they want Karnataka model of power supply or Telangana model”. “Chalo! Dekh lenge!”, he remarked.
Fielding a question on the Meddigadda barrage’s structural integrity issue, he pointed out that the National Dam Safety Authority’s assessment was pending. Rama Rao reiterated that the repair expenses would be covered by the agency concerned under the clause of the Defect Liability period, leaving no burden on the state’s finances. Moreover, the barrage had withstood the heaviest floods, including an inflow of 28 lakh cusecs last year.
As reported in the media, it could be due to technical aspects or sabotage as well but the Congress and the BJP were into “premature celebrations” over the issue. These parties had also tried to misguide people when the Annaram pump house was submerged last year.
He appealed to political parties not to politicise the issue, while pointing out that the Kaleshwaram project was providing irrigation water to tail-end areas for the benefit of farmers.
Asked to comment on the reported trending of the Congress party in Telangana opinion polls, the BRS working president insisted that social media trends didn’t translate into electoral successes.
“What counts is the voice of the people, which will be clear come November 30. We anticipate overwhelming support for Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. This will turn true on December 3,” he asserted, projecting that the BJP would lose deposits in 110 of the 119 assembly seats.
