HYDERABAD: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka announced on Wednesday the construction of a model colony for the underprivileged in Velugumatla, Khammam district, aimed at setting a benchmark for other states.
Alongside Housing and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, all from Khammam, the Deputy CM distributed house site pattas and sanctioned Indiramma houses for families affected by the recent demolition drives against encroachments on Bhoodan land in Khammam’s urban mandal. The event took place in Khammam town.
While opposition parties claimed that over 700 families were evicted from Bhoodan land, 412 eligible families in Velugumatla were awarded house site pattas. The Congress government also approved the construction of Indiramma houses for these beneficiaries, along with a commitment to develop a model colony. An additional 101 beneficiaries from other districts received permission to build Indiramma houses on available land in their villages.
Deputy CM Bhatti stated that the remaining 16 acres of land in Velugumatla, after allocating house sites, will be used to construct a Telangana Public School and other government educational institutions.
“The government will not only build Indiramma homes on Bhoodan land but also ensure the provision of essential services like electricity, drinking water, roads, a hospital, a community hall, and a shopping complex,” Bhatti emphasized.
He instructed officials to commence the construction of Indiramma houses starting March 12, ensuring the completion of the model colony by December 9. The three ministers plan to invite Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for the housewarming ceremony on that date.
Highlighting this project as a testament to the government’s commitment to the poor, Bhatti criticized the previous BRS government for failing to deliver on its promise of 2-BHK houses, stating, “For 10 years, the BRS made promises but failed to deliver even a single house, leaving the poor feeling abandoned.” He added that those who could not fulfill such basic promises should not criticize the current government.
The state cabinet under Revanth Reddy has mandated that every poor person in the state should have an Indiramma house. As part of this initiative, the government has allocated ₹22,500 crore for building 450,000 Indiramma houses for the needy. “The opposition is spreading misinformation to undermine the government, as they don’t want the poor to benefit from these welfare programs,” Bhatti stated. He noted that a mafia network had exploited the poor in Velugumatla for years, but now the government is dedicated to ensuring dignity and self-respect for all citizens.
The Congress government is prepared to invest any necessary funds to guarantee that the poor live securely and with dignity. Bhatti has directed officials to prevent any exploitative forces from taking advantage of the vulnerable.
