Revanth Reddy interview | ‘There are financial constraints, but I am definitely going to implement all the promises that have been made to the people’

The Congress government has completed 11 months in office and how do you assess the performance in terms of the promises made and fulfilled so far?

My assessment is that if I personally examine my work, I would term it as scoring distinction. My first major achievement is loan waiver of ₹18,000 crore to eligible farmers and money was deposited in less than 25 days. Within 10 months, our government has been able to fill up 50,000 government jobs as promised.

Free bus travel for women is another significant achievement of my government where more than one crore trips were made by women free of cost and they saved ₹3,500 crore. Free power up to 200 units to households is also on track. We have enhanced the Rajiv Arogyasri health coverage limit to ₹10 lakh per individual. Inviting investments, announcing new policies, setting up Skill and Sports universities, integrated Young India residential schools in each constituency, promotions to 21,000 teachers at a go and transfer of 35,000 teachers is no mean achievement for any government.

Where do you think is the government lagging in terms of reaching out to the people?

When former chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao demitted office he bluffed saying that the State had a debt between ₹3-4 lakh crore. But, we realised the total debts were to the tune of over ₹7-lakh crore. Yes, there are financial constraints, but I am definitely going to implement all the promises that have been made to the people.

How is the ongoing socio-economic survey going to benefit the government? India is looking at Telangana on the caste survey. How is this survey different than the one done by the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government?

The survey conducted by the BRS (earlier TRS) government was a 12-hour exercise. The findings of the survey were never made public. Nobody knows what happened to the data. Former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao did not disclose it. As a Chief Minister, even I do not know where the data is available. Nothing was disclosed and it has got zero value now.

Our survey is a 360-degree scan and X-ray and is like a mega health checkup. I will have all the statistics of people, about their caste, creed, religion, and employment, whether politically empowered or not empowered. We want to distribute wealth based on this survey. There will be increase in quota for the OBCs also.

There are speculations about population of each caste, I want to put a full stop to such claims by getting accurate data and it is our responsibility and moral objective too. The survey is useful for everyone. The data will be key for welfare and developmental programmes. The most important aspect is we will place the document in the public domain. We are going to introduce the data in the Assembly and in all probability, the winter session will start from December 9. Individual information will be confidential and will not be revealed at any cost, respecting the data privacy policy. Personal and sensitive details will not find a place in public domain. The other general information would be presented in the Legislature.

An interesting column that has been added to the survey is the political affiliation and association of the individual household. What does this mean for the government?

Our intention is to know whether they have received political opportunities. If someone is not willing to share the information there is no force. Even the courts have made clear not to insist on compulsory information collection. We want to collect more accurate information.

Will these data form the base for the government’s road map for welfare and developmental programmes?

This will not only be a road map for welfare and development. It will also help us in increasing the OBC quota. To break the 50% reservation barrier Supreme Court has been insisting on accurate data. Unless you have accurate data, our goal of increasing reservations for BCs will not be achieved. We want to take the caste survey as the yardstick for increasing reservations and budget. The OBCs are the biggest chunk of the population and every State has its unique caste composition. The Rajaka (washermen) community are backward classes in Telangana but SCs in Karnataka. Similarly, Mudirajs are categorised as BCs here but are under the SC category in UP. Also, Lambadas are STs in Telangana but BCs in Maharashtra. The information collected will bring out these differences. We want to make the lives of SC, ST and BCs better.

Rahul Gandhi has termed the ongoing caste survey as a role model for the country. How is the government going to keep up with the hype that has been created around this?

Yes, Rahul Gandhi has applauded our efforts. What impressed him was the meticulous efforts to collect data through proper formats. Bihar government had conducted a caste census but that was struck down by the High Court. Similarly, the exercise by Karnataka is not complete as they are not gathering all the details. It is under these circumstances that the approach is different. We have roped in Planning department officials and drawn the services of as many as 85,000 government staff and deputed 8500 officers to supervise the whole exercise. All these steps have impressed Mr. Gandhi.

The BJP and the BRS have not responded to your challenge and are silent on the caste survey. What is your take on that?

My simple and straight one-line answer to BJP is: has Prime Minister Narendra Modi legally converted to BC caste. As long as he was not the CM, his community was in upper caste. But, once he became the CM of Gujarat, he became a BC. And, now the BJP too wants to toe the same line claiming he is a BC. The BRS too has no policy on caste survey, hence they are silent. While the nation is going to conduct national census from 2025, we have already started one.

Allegations are that you are trying to wipe out KCR from Telangana’s map as a politician and as an administrator.

BRS is a headless party. Seeing is believing. His presence is zero. He is not even attending the Assembly — the highest democratic institution. From 2014 to 2024 Congress party lost three general elections, but Rahul Gandhi continued to meet people and agitate for people’s cause. Where is KCR in the last 10 months? He is not seen anywhere. How can we recognise him. The BRS does not have a party president or a floor leader.

Are you are trying to project there is a leadership crisis in the BRS?

The criticism of BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao and Harish Rao against us day-in and day-out is not on behalf of people but due to the internal squabbles for the chair as they realise KCR’s chair is open for occupation. You see the competitive tweets or issues raised by them is to stay relevant for that chair and not for people.

So neither KCR nor his party will be your main opponent in the next elections?

It is too early to say something like that.

Lack of finances is a major concern and the government is struggling to raise funds to continue the ongoing programmes. How are you planning to overcome this serious issue?

It is an issue that I am working hard to deal with. The financial mess created by the KCR government is unimaginable. Despite spending ₹1 lakh crore on Kaleshwaram its utility is in question. No one knows its future. I will not commit the blunders of KCR. And that is why welfare schemes are being implemented. I am utilising every rupee for development. Generally a new Chief Minister implements the previous CM’s policies. But I have controlled the misuse.