Telangana Chief Mini-ster K Chandrashekar Rao has earned a reputation for his business-friendly policies. Business leaders like Cognizant’s Lakshmi Nara-yanan express admiration for Rao’s focus on IT systems and transparency in the fast, corruption-free clearances of proposals for setting up businesses in Telangana. The state has rightly earned the numero uno status for such efficiencies.
Rao focuses equally on publicising the state’s performance. The promotions in national news channels have been well-crafted. A recent measure is the state’s initiative, Rythu Bandhu. The scheme offers Rs 8000 per acre annual grant to all Telangana farmers. 58 lakh pattadhar pass book-cum-title deed with 17 security features are being distributed.
This is similar to the idea mooted by Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian in 2017, of providing a cash payment to citizens under Universal Basic Income (UBI) scheme to take care of their minimum requirements.
In the context of the continuing demand for waiver of farm loans, this offer is bound to receive full support and of course, votes. One hopes that Rao also works at measures to improve agricultural incomes by fundamental reforms like agglomeration of land holdings permitting long-term lease.
