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Hyderabad: On the fourth day of the Legislative Assembly’s Monsoon Session, Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the department has no plans to introduce closed-circuit television (CCTV) in Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) buses.

However, CCTVs will be set up in premium and electric buses, the minister stated on Thursday, September 10. Cameras were installed in RTC buses in Adilabad on directions from the Superintendent of Police (SP) and will be expanded to other buses based on the need, he added.

Mahalakshmi scheme

As for the Mahalakshmi scheme, he said that till now, 347.47 crore women passengers had saved Rs 12,171 crore by travelling for free in RTC buses.

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He accused the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government of neglecting the RTC, which is the “lifeline of the poor and middle class” and serves around 65 passengers daily.

Rs 1 crore insurance for govt employees: Bhatti

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the Rs 1 crore insurance scheme being provided to state government employees, contract and outsourcing staff, and pensioners is the first of its kind in the country.

He said the scheme is being implemented with the cooperation of banks, without imposing any financial burden on either the government or the employees.

“We called the banks where the salaries of employees are credited and told them that your business is growing as salaries are dispensed through your banks. We persuaded them saying you should cooperate (with the government) and, if necessary, pay the premium for employees whose salaries are credited in the accounts in your banks,” he said.

Vikramarka, who holds finance and energy portfolios, said the insurance scheme was initially launched for employees of state-run miner Singareni Collieries and it was subsequently expanded to those working under the DISCOMs (power distribution companies) and others.

He said the scheme was implemented for Singareni employees from February, 2024 and for all state government employees from June, 2026.

About 13 lakh beneficiaries are covered under the scheme in the state. They include 5,18,273 regular employees and 5,00,158 temporary, outsourcing, multipurpose workers, contract, daily-wage, and other staff, he added.

BJP flags excessive imports

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA K Venkata Rama Reddy proposed increasing the amount of land used for vegetable cultivation, saying that Telangana is importing vegetables from other states and does not have enough production to meet its demands.

This is leading to an increase in prices, he said. He urged the Telangana government to provide cold storage facilities and a subsidy on equipment.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Payal Shankar said that Telangana was importing 92 per cent of the milk needed in the state and producing only 8 per cent. He also flagged adulteration impacting people’s health and urged the government to set up a system to address the issue.

He said that the benefits of National Livestock Mission must be provided to Telangana to help livestock farmers.

AIMIM MLAs flag issues at markets

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Jaffar Hussain said that the conditions in Madannapet vegetable market needed to improve and asked for the widening of roads in the area.

He also asked for improved facilities at Rythu Bazaar in Falaknuma and requested a temporary license to conduct fruit business in Pahadishareef.

MLA Majid Hussain requested a canteen and space for farmers to rest at the Gudimalkapur vegetable and flower market. He also flagged the shrinking space in the market and claimed that licenses for stores were being given without taking into account the space available.

He also asked the government to construct a complex at Mehdipatnam Rythu Bazaar to help farmers with parking issues.

Agriculture Minister’s answers

Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao responded to the concerns raised by BJP MLAs, saying that the land used for vegetable cultivation has shrunk from 3 lakh acres to 50,000 acres. He said subsidies were being provided for some crops and works which was having an impact.

On the issue of pesticides raised by MLA Yashaswini Mamidala, the minister said that pesticides were necessary due to the use of chemical fertilisers, and he has urged the Centre to provide subsidies for fertilisers that conserve land.

He assured AIMIM MLAs that a special meeting will be held with the Marketing Department Director to resolve all issues in the markets.

Akbaruddin Owaisi asks about Haj airfare refund

AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi asked whether Rs 10,000 assured to Haj 2026 pilgrims as airfare refund has been released yet. He also sought to know the extent of the land to be utilised for construction of the new Haj House and if plans are charted and an architect appointed.

He also asked what would be done to the existing Haj House.

Haj House to be built at Rs 86.5 crore

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikarmarka Mallu said that two acres have been set aside at Mamidipalli in Shamshabad for the Haj House and architects are being roped in for the project. The project will cost an estimated Rs 86.5 crore.

Senior officials and the Waqf Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mohammed Asadullah visited the Haj House in Bengaluru to inspect the model there, he added.

Sanction of funds for new Haj House under consideration: Minorities Minister

Responding to a query on the construction of a new Haj House on Waqf land near Shamshabad airport, near the foothills of Baba Sharfuddin Dargah in Pahadishareef, Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammed Azharuddin said that funds for it have not been sanctioned yet and are under consideration by the government.