Telangana cabinet approves new policy, will boost employment for locals

Hyderabad: Telangana cabinet has approved a new employment policy under which the majority of the workforce in the industries shall have to be the residents of the state.

The cabinet has approved a slew of measures to combat the COVID 19 in the state. From 10 lakh Home Isolation Kits to 10,000 Oxygen beds to making available Remdesivir, the government has decided to fight COVID 19 with full steam.

Some of the highlights of the cabinet decisions are:

1. The State Cabinet has approved the New Policy under which the majority of employment is given to the local in the industries set up in Telangana State. After Telangana state was formed, the government had brought in TSiPASS Act for according permissions to the industries in the State. With this, a lot of industries are coming to the State. However, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has instructed the Industries ministry to prepare a policy so that more job opportunities are given to the local candidates in these industries. Under the leadership of Industries Minister KT Rama Rao, the industries department had done an exercise and prepared a draft policy. On this, the Cabinet meeting held under the Chairmanship of the CM discussed the policy at length on Wednesday at Pragathi Bhavan. The Cabinet felt that the locals should have more opportunities in the industries being set up in the State. The Cabinet also decided to give incentives to the industries, which are providing more job opportunities to the locals.

2. The State cabinet also felt that the IT industry in Hyderabad should not be located at one point but it should spread all over the city. The Cabinet approved a Grid policy (Growth in dispersion) to give incentives to the IT companies being set up in other areas other than the West Zone of Hyderabad.

3. The Cabinet has also decided to encourage and promote the use of electrical vehicles to decrease the air pollution in the Telangana State. It was also decided to encourage the production of electric vehicles in the State by giving them incentives. The State cabinet has also approved the Telangana State Electronic Vehicle and Energy Storage Solution Policy.

4. The State Cabinet has approved the construction of the New Secretariat Complex and approved the designs.

5. The Cabinet had discussed threadbare about the Coronavirus spread, treatment given to those affected with Corona, further strengthening of the Public health system. And other related issues. The Cabinet had dwelled on the subject for two and a half hours with experts, doctors. Medical and Health Principal Secretary, Commissioner, several heads of the Medical and Health department were invited to the meeting to discuss the matter. In this context, medical officials have given details about the Corona situation in the State.

“The Coronavirus which spread all the countries in the world, as on date, is on the decrease in all the major cities. Cases are coming down in Hyderabad also. In Telangana State, the death rate is low and the rate of those recovering is more. Hence, there is no need for the people to feel anxious,” the medical experts explained to the Cabinet.

The Cabinet urged the people not to get anxious about the Corona Virus. The Cabinet declared that the government is ready to give treatment to any number of cases whatever may be their number. The Cabinet urged the people that there is no need to rush to the private hospitals spending more money as the government hospitals are equipped with all facilities, medicines, expert doctors and the people should utilize these services. The Cabinet also made it clear that the government is ready to spend any amount of money to ensure medicines, equipment, and facilities in government hospitals. In this context, the government had taken several decisions.

The Cabinet has decided to make available to the needy, in all the government hospitals, the availability of Remdesivir, Low Molecular weight Heparin, Dexamethasone injections, Favipiravir tablets, other medicines, PPE Kits, test Kits in lakh in numbers.

--The Cabinet resolved that those who tested positive would be put in Home Quarantine with home isolation kits. It was decided to keep 10 lakh Home Isolation Kits ready.

--The cabinet gave the authority to the Collectors to appoint staff in the Government hospitals on a temporary basis.

--It was also decided to provide 10,000 Oxygen beds all over the State.

-The Cabinet also decided to act stringently against the Private hospitals, which are indulging in irregularities while giving treatment to the COVID patients.

--The Cabinet has released Rs 100 Crore additionally to the Rs 100 Crore released recently. The funds for the Medical and Health department should be release monthly without fail.

---For those offering free medical services in the private medical colleges, the government will bear the expenses for medicines, injections, and food.

--The officials concerned are instructed to conduct 40,000 tests per day.

---Ministers Etela Rajender, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar will conduct a videoconference on Thursday with the Collectors and find out needs from the districts. They will immediately act and take the necessary decisions.

6. The State cabinet has congratulated the farmers in the State who have sown the crops in the present Monsoon season following the Regulatory Farming Policy of the government. The cabinet felt that it was proof that the farmers have believed that the regulatory farming method as suggested by the government was for their benefit and it would usher in a revolution in the agriculture sector for good. It was a symbol of farmers’ awareness and their quality to change. The cabinet had discussed for two and a half hours on the measures to take to make the agriculture a profitable sector.

The agriculture officials told the cabinet that so far regulatory farming took place in 1.13 Crore acres, and crops to be sown in another 10-12 lakh acres. In 8.65 Lakh acres there were horticulture crops. They said last year's cultivation took place in 1.22 Crore acres and now it is more than 1.30 Crore acres. The Cabinet appreciated the increase in the yield and extent of cultivation in the State, which increased. The Cabinet felt that the Telangana state’s agriculture has gone up to the level of feeding the country and it was proved when FCI procured 55 percent of the State’s produce. The Ministers said that despite the bad economy due to the Coronavirus, the State had given huge financial assistance to its farmers under RythuBandhu, which was of great help to the farmers. They said it was unparalleled and unique that 57.62 Lakh farmers have received Rs 7, 251 Crore pertaining to 45 Lakh acres. The Cabinet has instructed the officials to extend the Rythubandhu scheme to those who may have not yet received it. The CM opined that more mechanization should take place in agriculture. He has instructed the officials to find out how many machines are there and how many more required? The CM urged that all the Rythu Vedikas should be completed in all the Clusters on a fast note. The CM also instructed that those who have donated land for the Vedikas or contributed funds, to name the Vedikas as suggested by them.

7. The Cabinet has decided to increase the agriculture-based industries in the State, to make agriculture a profitable venture, and to create more job opportunities in the State. The Cabinet has appreciated the decision of the CM to have Food Processing SEZs in the State. The Cabinet felt that the SEZs should be formed to get the Minimum Support Price for the farmers and to create more job opportunities. It decided to bring in a Comprehensive Policy in this regard. Very soon Ministers and officials will meet and prepare the Policy.

8. The Cabinet felt that after witnessing the troubles faced by the Migrant Labour during the Lockdown period, which was witnessed by the world. The responsibility lies with the government to take care of the Migrant Labour so that they will not face any problem in the future. It was decided to form a special welfare policy for those workers who are coming to the Telangana State for employment from other states. The cabinet felt that measures should be taken so that the migrant laborers who come from other states leaving their families, parents should feel safe and comfortable here. The cabinet has instructed the officials to prepare a Migrant Labour Policy.

9. The State cabinet has approved the TS B PASS policy simplifying the building construction permissions. The Cabinet felt that like the TSiPASS, TS B pass was also a reform policy as far as building permissions are concerned.

10. The Cabinet has decided to name Dummugudem Barrage as Sithamma Barrage, Baswapur reservoir as Nrusimha Reservoir and Toopakula Gudem barrage as Sammakka Barrage.

11. The Cabinet instructed the Electricity Bills of Municipalities, Gram Panchayats, Government offices should be paid without fail every month. The cabinet said people who violate this instruction would not be spared. The Cabinet also decided to give the facility to pay one-time settlement dues of gram panchayats and Municipalities.

12, The Cabinet gave permission to sell all the old and useless government vehicles pertaining to all the departments.

13. Due to the COVID conditions, the Cabinet decided to hold the Independence Day celebrations in a simple manner. It was decided to hold the Independence Day celebrations in the same way as the State Formation day celebrations were held on June 2.

14. The Cabinet also decided to follow the central Government Guidelines to conduct online classes for the school students and for this to utilize the services of Doordarshan. The cabinet has instructed the officials to prepare a schedule for this. The Cabinet also decided to follow the Court judgment as far as the Degree and PG Final year examinations.