JOIN USKCR sworn in as first Chief Minister of Telangana
Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhar Rao was sworn-in as the first Chief Minister of Telangana on Monday in a simple ceremony here at the Raj Bhavan.
Telangana in-charge Governor E S L Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Rao and his team of 11 cabinet ministers. Those who took oath include KCR’s son K Taraka Rama Rao and nephew Harish Rao.
The council of ministers includes Mohammad Mahmood Ali (MLC), Dr T Rajaiah, Nayani Narsimha Reddy (MLC), Etela Rajender, Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy, T Harish Rao, T Padma Rao, Patnam Mahender Reddy, K Taraka Rama Rao, Jogu Ramanna and G Jagadeeswar Reddy.
While the cabinet consists of four Reddys, three Velamas, three BCs, one SC and one from the minority community, women legislators could not make the cut. Also, Mahbubnagar and Khammam district does not have any representative in the ministry.
Later, while addressing the Telangana Day celebrations at the Parade Grounds in Secunderabad, Rao said he will provide a people centric, corruption free government for the overall development of the new state.
“I assure you that our administration will continue in agitation mode to sustain the momentum created by the decade long struggle. Governance will be transparent and ruthless towards corruption,” he said.
Announcing a series of sops for the employees who played an important role in the movement, Rao declared a special Telangana increment, health insurance, and salaries at par with that of Central government employees.
“I am going to keep the BC,SC,ST and minority welfare ministry with me so that I can personally look after their progress,” Rao said, adding that the state government will be spending Rs 1 lakh crore in the next five years.
Declaring that Telangana will be developed as “Seed Bowl of India”, he announced a moratorium on all agricultural loans up to Rs 1 lakh and promised to irrigate 1 lakh acres in every Assembly segment. He also assured the IT sector that he will strive to retain the brand image of Hyderabad by modernising the police force.
“We are bringing different categories of police under one umbrella, replace the ageing fleet, provide medical allowance to traffic police and special medals for all commemorating Telangana formation,” Rao said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “India gets a new state! We welcome Telangana as our 29th state. Congrats to K Chandrasekhar Rao garu on taking oath as
Telangana’s 1st CM. My best wishes to people for the state’s development journey.”
Andhra Pradesh chief minister-designate N Chandrababu Naidu hoped that Telangana will achieve development under Rao’s leadership. Naidu did not attend the swearing in ceremony as he was not personally invited.
“Our president would have attended the ceremony if he was invited. But we will invite Chandrasekhar Rao for Naidu’s swearing-in ceremony in Guntur on 8 June,” Telugu Desam leader Yerrabelli Dayakar Rao said.