2024: T’gana’s Cong govt kicks off caste survey, actor Allu Arjun in soup over fatal stampede

Hyderabad, Dec 31 (PTI) The first Congress government in Telangana kicked off implementation of its poll promises, including the path-breaking caste census, during 2024, but its ambitious projects of Musi river redevelopment and development of a ‘future-ready city’ on Hyderabad outskirts would not be easy as they require massive funds, besides posing other challenges in execution.

The Telugu film industry whose fame soared following the success of mega films like ‘RRR’ came under pressure at home during the year in the aftermath of the ‘Pushpa-2’ stampede on December 4, where a woman was killed and her son seriously injured.

At a meeting with Telugu cinema industry representatives post the Allu Arjun episode, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy made it clear law and order was supreme and that the movie world was no exception to it.

The Congress government which assumed power last year, began implementation of the party’s poll promises and ‘guarantees’, including Rs 21,000 crore crop loan waiver, besides the caste survey.

The “historic” comprehensive socio-economic, employment, political and caste survey, an election promise of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, got underway on November 6.

Facing flak for not implementing the promise of ‘Rythu Bhrosa’ investment support (Rs 15,000) to farmers and tenant farmers, Reddy has announced it would be implemented after ‘Sankranti’ festival in January, 2025.

During 2024, the state government unveiled ambitious plans to redevelop the highly polluted Musi river that flows through Hyderabad and to establish “India’s most modern future ready city” on the outskirts of the state capital.

However, the grand plans for redevelopment of Musi, coupled with the anti-encroachment drive initiated by the newly-formed Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), drew sharp criticism from the BRS and BJP.

The two opposition parties alleged that the Musi rejuvenation programme reeks of corruption, also charging that HYDRAA is demolishing poor people’s houses built along the riverbank.

Undeterred, Reddy highlighted the need to check the toxic pollution in Musi and asserted that the redevelopment would be carried out in a way that is comparable to Sabarmati in Gujarat, the Thames in London and the Centre’s programme to clean up river Ganga.

He had earlier said the government appointed a consortium of five renowned companies who will prepare project reports, covering various aspects, including the “city’s growth on par with world standards”, Musi rejuvenation and generation of funds for project implementation.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be submitted in 18 months, he said.

The government is reportedly seeking funds from the World Bank for the project. “It is being opposed by all. Both Left and Right,” noted analyst Telakapalli Ravi said.

Regarding the proposed new city on the outskirts of here, the challenge is to attract major companies and other players set up shop there and execute the project smoothly.

However, the state finances are in dire straits, Ravi pointed out.

According to CAG report on state accounts of November, 2024, the state’s revenue receipts was over Rs 1,03,300 crore, while the Budget estimates for 2024-25 was Rs 2,21,242 which is only 46.69 percent.

This year, the ruling party had reasons to cheer as the Congress won eight of the total 17 seats in the state in the Lok Sabha polls.

BJP won eight seats, while AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi retained his Hyderabad constituency.

The K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) suffered the most as it drew a blank in the parliament elections. This came as further shock to the regional party as it faced an unexpected defeat in the 2023 Assembly polls.

It suffered other setbacks too.

While Rao’s daughter and MLC K Kavitha was arrested in March in the Delhi excise policy case (though she secured bail later), the Congress government ordered inquiries into the alleged irregularities during the BRS regime over the Kaleshwaram project and the Power Purchasing Agreements (PPAs).

Rao’s son and BRS Working President KT Rama Rao was booked by the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) over the conduct of Formula-E race in Hyderabad.

He has also been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning on January 7, 2025 over the matter.

Unfazed, BRS adopted an aggressive stance against the Congress government on various issues. The flashpoint between the two came in November when government officials were attacked at a village during a public hearing for land acquisition.

The village is in Kodangal assembly constituency represented by the CM. BRS’ Patnam Narender Reddy was arrested in connection with the attack among others.

The government, however, withdrew the land acquisition process for establishing a ‘pharma village’ in two villages there and announced plans to set up a multipurpose industrial park.

The unveiling of the official design of ‘Telangana Thalli’ (Mother Telangana) by the Congress government, different from the one being used by BRS, also came under intense attack from the regional party.

Away from the world of politics, the premiere show of top actor Allu Arjun-starrer ‘Pushpa-2’ turned tragic on December 4.

Dramatic events unfolded soon after the stampede as Allu Arjun was arrested and lodged in prison but got relief when the High Court granted him interim bail, all in less than 24 hours.