Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) senior leader T. Harish Rao. File
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has requested the Telangana Government to implement the Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS) without any charges as promised by the Congress party during the run up to State Assembly elections-2023.
In a letter addressed to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, BRS senior leader T. Harish Rao stated that a sizeable section of the farming community is left disappointed due to denial of the ₹2 lakh Crop Loan Waiver Scheme and delay in getting the Rythu Bharosa investment support for the Kharif season. On the other hand, a large section of people was unable to bear the expenses for their healthcare following rampant incidence of viral fever and other seasonal diseases across the State.
Instead of providing any relief, the government exerted pressure on all officials from the district collector to panchayat secretary level to speed up fee collection through LRS. Panchayat secretaries and bill collectors were in turn forcing people to make the payment and threatening to cancel/reject their LRS application.
Stating that the government forced the field-level officials to issue demand notices to LRS applicants, he said it them (officials) targets with a view to mop up at least ₹15,000 crore from the LRS implementation. Calling this exploitation of people who were already burdened heavily in different forms this season and it was highly condemnable, he noted.
He reminded the Chief Minister that how he (the Chief Minister), as the opposition leader and Pradesh Congress Committee president, had termed the LRS as a tool to loot people when the BRS was in power. Unfortunately, it is the Congress Government led by Mr. Reddy is now fleecing people in the name of LRS after promising its implementation without any charges/fee.
Not only the Chief Minister but his Cabinet colleagues including M. Bhatti Vikramarka, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Seethakka too had demanded implementation of LRS free of cost when in opposition but the government is trying to pool up revenue with the same now, the BRS leader stated in his letter. Going a step ahead, Mr. Venkat Reddy even moved the High Court against LRS with charges.
The government’s plan to mop up ₹15,000 crore revenue from LRS clearly indicates the Congress party’s double standards, Mr. Harish Rao said and asked people not to pay fee/charges for LRS as the BRS would take the responsibility to get it implemented free of cost by building pressure on the government.
