K Chandrashekar Rao promises 'Christian Bhavan' this term

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chand-rashekar Rao has asserted that the state government's performance in various sectors is distinctive. The state has achieved 29.97 per cent growth in own revenue which is the highest in the country, he said.

Addressing the gathering at a Christmas Feast at LB Stadium, Mr Rao said Telangana was the only state where Christmas was celebrated by the government. “Our government celebrates Dasara, Id-ul-Fitr, Bathukamma and Bonalu officially. People in Delhi say that though Jammu and Kashmir has a Muslim Chief Minister, Id-ul-Fitr is celebrated in a more marked manner in Telangana,” the CM said.

He assured that within 20 days he would convene a meeting of scholars and religious heads of the Christian community to discuss the issues and problems of the community. 

Mr Rao said that he could not construct the Christian Bhavan in the previous term, but this time the government would construct a huge building.

The government simplified the process for granting permission for the construction of churches. There will be no need to approach the district collector, Mr Rao said.

“We are dedicating ourselves to making the state a Golden Telangana. Our motto is to ensure all round development of the state without discriminating against people based on religion. The government has no religious identity. I have told party leaders and officials to see the people as people and not discriminate based on religion,” the CM said.

Mr Rao said the government was doing an excellent job for the welfare of the minorities which was unprecedented. 

Leaders and bureaucrats of the Centre and other states were visiting the state to study the schemes being implemented in the state.

Minorities residential schools were unique and these institutions were performing very well. The government was giving priority to education and focussing on minorities as well to prepare a generation which would be good and competitive, he added.

Mr Rao said 60 Christian students were studying abroad availing the Ambedkar overseas scholarships. He said he was not satisfied with these meagre numbers; there was a need to expand the scheme. He assured that the specific problems of the community would be resolved.

The CM said the state was achieving excellence on all fronts. “We achieved this distinction due to our commitment and discipline. Within 10 years Telangana will be an exemplary state in every walk of life," he said. He said in the last four years, the state had earned Rs 2,057 crore revenue from the sale of sand.