TELANGANA PROFILE

Capital : Hyderabad
City

Area : 112,077 Sq.

Kms.

Districts : 31

Households : 83.58 Lakhs

Population : 351.94
Lakhs

Telangana, as a geographical and political entity was born on June 2, 2014 as the 29th
and the youngest state in Union of India. However, as an economic, social, cultural
and historical entity it has a glorious history of at least two thousand five hundred
years or more. Megalithic stone structures like cairns, cists, dolmens and menhirs
found in several districts of Telangana show that there were human habitations in this
part of the country thousands of years ago. Remnants of iron ore smelting found at
many places demonstrate the hoary roots of artisanship and tool making in Telangana
for at least two thousand years. The reference to Asmaka Janapada, part of present
Telangana, as one of the 16 Janapadas in ancient India proves that there existed an
advanced stage of society.

One of the first five disciples of the Buddha, Kondanna is a typical name from
Telangana and though there is no exact information about his native place, the earliest
known Buddhist township of Kondapur in Medak district is believed to be after him.
The Buddha himself famously acknowledged that it was Kondanna who understood
him properly. The Buddhist sources say that Bavari, a Brahmin from Badanakurti in
Karimnagar sent his disciples to all the way to north India to learn Buddhism and
spread the message in this region. Megasthenes, who visited India in the 4th century
BCE, wrote that there were 30 fortified towns of Andhras and a majority of them were
in Telangana. In the historical age, Telangana had given rise to mighty empires and
kingdoms like the Satavahanas, Vakatakas, Ikshvakus, Vishnukundins, Chalukyas,
Kakatiyas, Qutb Shahis and Asif Jahis.

The emergence and flourishing of these powerful political formations is in itself a

proof of existence of a sturdy economic, social and cultural structure. Thus Telangana
has been a vibrant social entity by the time of the Buddha and continued to be so for
the next two and a half millennia. Endowed with such rich cultural heritage, despite
the attempts by historians and scholars from Andhra region to obfuscate and erase its
history, Telangana always retained and fought for its self respect and self rule. Due to
the official efforts to ignore, erase, belittle and look down Telangana history and turn
it into an appendage or a footnote, particularly during 1956-2014, much of Telangana
history is either not properly researched or not recorded even if it was studied.
Telangana rose again and secured its political identity now and is in the process of
resurrecting its own glorious past. Here is an attempt to reconstruct the history of
Telangana, the wonderful musical instrument with a thousand strings.
Pre-history (Up to 1000 BCE)
Even though extensive exploration has not been done, particularly subjected to neglect
after 1956, the archaeological department under the Nizams government had done
tremendous work in discovering the traces of pre-historical human habitations in
Telangana. These studies found that human habitations in parts of Telangana can be
seen from the Paleolithic age consistently. Either the same locations or extended
locations showed people continued to live and develop through the later stages of
Mesolithic, Neolithic and Metal ages. Excavations discovered stone tools, microliths,
cists, dolmens, cairns and menhirs. All the ten districts of Telangana showed these
traces even when a proper, scientific and official research and excavations have not
been done and thanks to the efforts of either the first generation researchers before
1950s or individual amateur explorations.

Pre-Satavahanas (1000 BCE 300 BCE)

In the historical age beginning from 1000 BCE there are some references of
Telangana as a geographical entity as well as Telugu as a linguistic entity, in the
contemporary Buddhist and mythological texts. However, it needs a detailed research
to discover finer aspects and establish the stage of development of pre-Satavahana
society. Thought the official research into this aspect was stalled for about six
decades, some enthusiasts like Thakur Rajaram Singh, B N Sastry and Dr D Raja
Reddy did their own painstaking explorations and showed that there was a flourishing
society before the emergence of the Satavahanas. Particularly Dr Raja Reddy proved
with numismatic evidence that there were rulers before the Satavahanas with
Kotalingala as capital and issued their own coins. In these excavations the coins of
Gobada, Naarana, Kamvaaya and Samagopa were discovered and at least two other
rulers names came to light. Thus Telangana happens to be the first region in the
subcontinent to have issued punch-marked coins with even insignia. The Buddhist
texts as well as accounts of foreigners like Magesthenes and Arrian talked about this
region as having thirty forts, many of which have to be explored.

Satavahanas (250 BCE 200 CE)

After the fall of the Mauryan Empire, around the third century BC there arose the first
significant kingdom under the Satavahanas from this region. The earliest capital of the
Satavahanas was Kotalingala and then moved to the other popular capitals like
Paithan and Amaravati (Dharanikota) only after two centuries of their rule. However,
the first capital was either ignored or brushed aside to give prominence to the later
place in coastal Andhra. The coins issued by the Satavahana kings Simuka (BC 231-
208), Siri Satavahana, Satakani I, Satasiri, Satakani II, Vasittiputta Pulumayi,
Vasittiputta Satakani and their governors were discovered in Kotalingala. Numismatic
and epigraphic evidence showed that the Satavahanas ruled a larger area of the
peninsula, with oceans as borders on three sides. Literature like Gathasaptashati,
painting like Ajanta flourished during the Satavahana rule.

Post-Satavahana (200 CE 950 CE)

After the fall of Satavahanas in the third century AD, Telugu-speaking areas were
divided under various small rulers and till the emergence of the Kakatiyas, for about
six or seven centuries this fragmentation continued. Even as the mainstream Andhra
historians maintained that it was a dark period in Telangana history without any
political formation, the current research found that Telangana was ruled by various
kingdoms like the Ikshvakus, Vakatakas, Vishnukundins, Badami Chalukyas,
Rashtrakutas, Vemulavada Chalukyas, Kalyani Chalukyas, Mudigonda Chalukyas,
Kanduri Chodas and Polvasa dynasty. A detailed research into this period is yet to
take place.
Kakatiyas (950 CE 1323 CE)
The sub-feudatories of the Rashtrakutas emerged themselves as independent kings and
founded the Kakatiya dynasty around 950 AD and this kingdom became strong and
united whole of Telugu-speaking lands and lasted for more than three centuries and a
half. The kingdom saw powerful kings like Ganapatideva, Rudradeva and
Prataparudra as well as the first ever woman ruler in the subcontinent Rudramadevi.
The Kakatiyas ruled from Hanumakonda in the beginning and shifted their capital to
Warangal later.

The Kakatiyas are known for their irrigation public works, sculpture and fire arts.
Thanks to the well-planned irrigation facilities and a perfect system of chain tanks to
suit the undulating nature of the terrain, the Kakatiya kingdom flourished
economically leading to cultural progress also. Envy of this affluence, several ne
ighbouring kingdoms as well as Delhi Sultanate tried to wage war on Warangal many
times and failed. Finally in 1323, Delhi army could lay seize on Warangal fort and
capture Prataparudra, who, according to the legend, killed himself on the banks of the
Narmada unwilling to surrender when he was being taken as prisoner of war to
Delhi.

Post-Kakatiya Interregnum (1323 1496)

After Prataparudra was defeated by Malik Kafur in 1323, the Kakatiya kingdom was
again fragmented with local governors declaring independence and for about 150
years Telangana was again under different rulers like Musunuri Nayakas,
Padmanayakas, Kalinga Gangas, Gajapatis, and Bahmanis.
Qutbshahis (1496 - 1687)
Sultan Quli Qutb Shah, subedar for Telangana under the Bahamanis, with Golconda
as his capital, declared his independence in 1496 and seven sultans of this dynasty
ruled not only Telangana but the entire Telugu-speaking land including parts of
present day Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Moghul empire waged war and defeated
Golconda in 1687 and for about three decades Telangana was again witnessed chaos
and fragmented rulers.

Asaf Jahis (1724-1948)

In 1712, Emperor Farrukhsiyar appointed Qamar-ud-din Khan as the viceroy of
Deccan and gave him the title Nizam-ul-Mulk . He was later recalled to Delhi, with
Mubariz Khan appointed as the viceroy. In 1724, Qamar-ud-din Khan defeated
Mubariz Khan and reclaimed the Deccan suba. It was established as an autonomous
province of the Mughal empire. He took the name Asif Jah, starting what came to be
known as the Asif Jahi dynasty. He named the area Hyderabad Deccan. Subsequent
rulers retained the title Nizam ul-Mulk and were called Asaf Jahi Nizams or Nizams
of Hyderabad. The Medak and Warangal divisions of Telangana were part of their
realm.

When Asaf Jah I died in 1748, there was political unrest due to contention for the
throne among his sons, who were aided by opportunistic neighbouring states and
colonial foreign forces. In 1769, Hyderabad city became the formal capital of the
Nizams.

Nasir-ud-dawlah, Asaf Jah IV signed the Subsidiary Alliance with the British in 1799
and lost its control over the state's defense and foreign affairs. Hyderabad State
became a princely state among the presidencies and provinces of British India.
A total of seven Nizam's ruled Hyderabad. (there was a period of 13 years after the
rule of Asaf Jah I, when three of his sons (Nasir Jung, Muzaffar Jung and Salabath
Jung) ruled. They were not officially recognised as the rulers:

Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I (Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan)

Nasir Jung (Mir Ahmed Ali Khan)
Muzaffar Jung (Mir Hidayat Muhi-ud-din Sa'adullah Khan)
Salabat Jung (Mir Sa'id Muhammad Khan)
Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah II (Mir Nizam Ali Khan)
Sikander Jah, Asaf Jah III (Mir Akbar Ali Khan)
Nasir-ud-Daula, Asaf Jah IV (Mir Farqunda Ali Khan)
Afzal-ud-Daula, Asaf Jah V (Mir Tahniyath Ali Khan)
Asaf Jah VI (Mir Mahbub Ali Khan)
Asaf Jah VII (Mir Osman Ali Khan)

Post-independence
When India became independent from the British Empire in 1947, Hyderabad
remained an independent princely state for a period of 13 months.

The peasants of Telangana waged an armed struggle to liberate the region. Scores of
people lost their lives in the armed struggle. The private militia named Razakars,
under the leadership of Qasim Razwi unleashed terror in the state by resorting to
looting and murder.

On 17 September 1948, the Indian government conducted a military operation called

Operation Polo to bring Hyderabad state into the Indian Union. It appointed a civil
servant, M. K. Vellodi, as first chief minister of Hyderabad State on 26 January 1950.
In 1952, Dr. Burgula Ramakrishna Rao was elected chief minister of the Hyderabad
State in its first democratic election. During this time, there was an agitation by locals
in the state to ensure proper representation was given to locals ( mulkis ) of
Hyderabad.

First Telangana Movement

In early 1950s, people of Telangana region in Hyderabad state, started organizing
themselves with a demand for separate state. In 1953 the Indian government
appointed the States Reorganization Commission (SRC) to look into various statehood
demands in the country. The Commission was headed by Fazal Ali, Kavalam
Madhava Panikkar and H.N. Kunzru

The SRC toured the whole country to seek representations from various sections of
the society. People of Telangana region submitted several memorandums to the SRC
and expressed their wish to constitute Telangana as a separate state. Telangana
intellectuals such as late Prof Jayashankar and political leaders such as Sri HC Heda,
Sri Konda Venkat Ranga Reddy gave memorandums containing historic, political,
economic, social and cultural justifications for creating the Telangana state. The
Commission submitted its report on 30 September 1955, and recommended formation
of Telangana state.

During the period between 1955 September and 1956 November, the people of
Telangana launched a series of protests demanding statehood by implementing the
SRC recommendations. But intense lobbying by leaders from Andhra state in New
Delhi resulted in the merger of Telangana region in Andhra state to form the Andhra
Pradesh state.

Telangana leaders insisted on a Gentlemens Agreement before the merger could take
place. The agreement was signed by Andhra and Telangana leaders and provided
safeguards with the purpose of preventing discrimination against Telangana by the
Andhra leaders.However, the agreement was violated from day one by the Andhra
leaders.

1969 Telangana Agitation

Non-implementation of Gentlemens Agreement and continued discrimination to
Telangana region in government jobs, education and public spending resulted in the
1969 statehood agitation.

In January 1969, students intensified the protests for a separate state. On 19 January,
all party accord was reached to ensure the proper implementation of Telangana
safeguards. Accord's main points were 1) All non-Telangana employees holding posts
reserved for Telangana locals will be transferred immediately. 2) Telangana surpluses
will be used for Telangana development. 3) Appeal to Telangana students to call off
agitation.

But the protests further intensified, as more and more students and employees joined
the statehood movement. Police firing on protesters led to the death of about 369
youngsters during this phase of the agitation. Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
called for a high-level meeting to discuss the statehood issue. After several days of
talks with leaders of both regions, on 12 April 1969, the Prime Minister developed an
Eight Point Plan. Sri M. Chenna Reddy, founded the Telangana Praja Samithi (TPS)
political party in 1969 to spearhead the statehood movement.

Mrs. Indira Gandhi had called snap parliamentary elections in March 1971. In these
parliamentary elections, Telangana Praja Samithi won 10 out the 14 Parliament seats
in Telangana. However, Indira Gandhis Congress (R) Party scored a landslide victory
on a platform of progressive policies such as poverty elimination (Garibi Hatao). She
was reluctant to accept the Telangana statehood demand at that juncture. Sri M
Chenna Reddy then merged TPS in Congress (R) party, after formulating a Six-Point
Formula to safeguard Telanganas interests. The statehood movement continued until
1973, but subsided later.

Final Telangana Movement

Since mid 1990s, the people of Telangana started organizing themselves under various
organizations with a demand for separate state of Telangana.

In 1997, the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) passed a resolution seeking
a separate Telangana. Though the party created the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh,
and Uttarakhand in 2000, it did not create a separate Telangana state citing resistance
of its coalition partner, Telugu Desam Party.

Sri Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), who was then the Deputy Speaker of AP
State assembly, had started background work on Telangana issue in early 2000. And
after detailed discussions and deliberations with a plethora of Telangana intellectuals,
KCR announced the launch of Telangana Rashtra Samithi on May 17th 2001.

KCR had resigned to the post of Deputy Speaker and MLA before launching the
Telangana Rashtra Samithi party. Prof Jayashankar, the ideologue of statehood
movement extended his support to KCR.

In 2004, TRS entered into a poll alliance with Congress party. The party won 26
MLAs and 5 MPs and entered into both the AP state and Indian government.
Telangana issue found a place in UPA-1 Common Minimum Program. Statehood
issue was also mentioned by President Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh in their speeches.

TRS president KCR, was initially allotted the Shipping portfolio. But another UPA
ally DMK demanded Shipping portfolio and threatened to walk out of the coalition, if
its demand was not met, KCR voluntarily relinquished the Shipping portfolio to save
the fledgling UPA-1 government. KCR remained as a Union Minister without
portfolio, before being given the Labour and Employment portfolio. As the UPA
government continued to dilly-dally on the decades old demand for Telangana state,
KCR resigned to his ministry in 2006.

When a Congress leader made a belittling statement on the statehood movement in

September 2006, KCR resigned to the Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat and won it with a
thumping majority. The massive majority achieved by KCR in that election proved
the strong statehood aspirations in the region.

In April 2008, TRS party MLAs resigned also walked out of the state government in
protest against the delay in Telangana formation. But, TRS could retain only 7 MLA
and 2 Lok Sabha seats in this by-election.

In 2009 elections, TRS allied with TDP, CPI and CPM parties. The grand alliance did
not yield the desired result, as the Pro-Telangana vote got split between TRS,
Congress, PRP and BJP. In the end, TRS could win only 10 MLA seats and 2 MP
seats.

Intensifying the movement

On Nov 29th, 2009 , KCR had announced an indefinite hunger strike demanding
statehood to Telangana. But en route, the state police had arrested him and sent to
Khammam sub-jail. The movement spread like wildfire with students, employees,
peoples organizations plunging into it. In the next 10 days, the whole of Telangana
region came to a standstill.

The state government, headed by Sri K Rosaiah had called for an all-party meeting on
7th December. Leaders of TDP and PRP parties promised that they would support a
Telangana statehood resolution if it was tabled in the state Assembly. As KCRs
health was deteriorating very fast, on Dec 9th 2009, the UPA government announced
that the process of statehood for Telangana would be initiated.

But within 2 weeks, resistance from Seemandhra leadership resulted in UPA

backtracking on this issue. KCR then brought all political forces in Telangana region
together to form the Telangana JAC an umbrella body of several organizations and
parties, with Prof Kodandaram as its Chairman. TRS cadre and leaders actively
participated in several agitations and protests launched by TJAC.

State Formation
After 4 years of peaceful and impactful protests, the UPA government started the
statehood process in July 2013 and concluded the process by passing the statehood
bill in both houses of Parliament in Feb 2014.

In the General Elections held in April 2014, Telangana Rashtra Samithi emerged
victorious by winning 63 of the 119 seats and formed the government. Sri K
Chandrashekar Rao was sworn in as the First Chief Minister of Telangana. The
Telangana state was inaugurated formally on June 2nd 2014.

STATE PROFILE

Telangana is the 29th state of India, formed on the 2nd of June 2014.
The state has an area of 1,12,077 Sq. Km. and has a population of
3,52,86,757. The Telangana region was part of the Hyderabad state
from Sept 17th 1948 to Nov 1st 1956, until it was merged with Andhra
state to form the Andhra Pradesh state.
After decades of movement for a separate State, Telangana was
created by passing the AP State Reorganization Bill in both houses of
Parliament. Telangana is surrounded by Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh
in the North, Karnataka in the West and Andhra Pradesh in the South
and East directions. Major cities of the state include Hyderabad,
Warangal, Nizamabad and Karimnagar.

Culture

'South of North and North of South, Telangana State has long been a
meeting place for diverse languages and cultures. It is easily the best
example for Indias composite culture, pluralism and inclusiveness.
Located on the uplands of Deccan plateau, Telangana is the link
between the North and South of India. It is thus no surprise that the
region on the whole came to be known for its Ganga-Jamuna Tehzeeb
and the capital Hyderabad as a miniature India!.

Geography, Polity and Economy of the region determined the culture of

Telangana. Satavahanas, the earliest known rulers of the region sowed
the seeds of independent and self-sufficient village economy, the relics
of which can be felt even today. In the medieval times, the Kakatiya
dynasty's rule, between the 11th and 14th centuries with Warangal as
their capital, and subsequently the Qutub Shahis and Asafjahis, who
ruled the Hyderabad state defined the culture of the region.

Art forms

Some classical art forms received the royal patronage and attained
finesse. However, the art forms of the innumerable communities
spread across the length and breadth of the State give Telangana its
distinct identity.

While the Kakatiya rule led to evolution of dance forms such as Perini
Sivatandavam, also known as dance of warriors, the commoners,
faced with the challenges of daily life developed traditions of story-
telling coupled with solutions to tide over them through Golla Suddulu,
Oggu Kathalu and Gotralu etc.

Several art forms like above mingled and new forms emerged. The
ubiquitous Dhoom Dham is one such evolved and composite art
form. They generally were about the struggle and exploitation. People
adopted the old sensibilities of theatre and art changing the content as
per the case and place.

A variant of Yakshagana, Chindu Bhagavatham is performed widely

across Telangana. It is a theater art form that combines dance, music,
dialogue, costume, make-up, and stage techniques with a unique style
and form. The word Chindu in Telugu means jump. As their
presentation is interspersed with leaps and jumps, it gained the name
of Chindu Bhagavatam. Most of the stories narrated are from
Bhagavatam.

Qawali, Ghazals and Mushairas evolved under the patronage of Qutub

Shahi and the Asafjahi rulers in and around the capital city of
Hyderabad.

Festivals

The Hindu festivals like Ugadi, Srirama Navami, Bonalu, Vinayaka

Chaturthi, Dasara, Deepavali, Sankranti, Holi, Mahashivaratri are
celebrated with pomp, gaiety and devotion. Dasara is the main festival
with the epithet pedda panduga.

Bathukamma, a part of Dasara festivities, is unique to Telangana. This

colourful festival has historic, ecological, societal and religious
significance. Women clad in glittering costumes and jewellery carry
beautifully stacked Bathukammas with flowers like Tangedu, Gunugu,
Chamanti and others to the village or streets meeting point.

Making circles around the assembled Bathukammas, womenfolk recite

songs in a group. The songs have their roots in Puranas, History and
even in the recent political and social developments of the particular
region. The fete culminates in Saddula Bathukamma where the villagers
immerse the flower stacks in the nearby tanks and lakes.

Bonalu is a Hindu Festival, celebrated during the Telugu month of

Ashadam (translates to June/ July of Gregorian calendar) wherein
Goddess Mahakali is worshiped. The festival is also considered a
thanksgiving to the Goddess for fulfilling the desires of devotees.

As part of the festival, Bojanam or Meal is offered to the presiding

Mother Goddess. Women prepare rice cooked with Milk, Jaggery in a
Brass or Earthen Pot adorned with Neem Leaves, Turmeric, Vermilion
putting a Lighted Diya on top of the Ghatam.

An important part of the festival is Rangam (prophecy). Women

standing atop of an earthen pot invokes goddess Mahankali onto her
and turns an Oracle.

Next is Ghattam. A copper pot is decorated in the form of Mother

Goddess. The Ghattam is carried by a priest and is taken in procession
accompanied by Pothurajus and musical instruments like trumpets
and drums for the immersion. Pothurajus are considered the brother of
Mother Goddess and are represented by well-built, bare-bodied men,
wearing a small tightly draped red dhoti and bells on ankles with
turmeric on bodies and vermilion on the foreheads.

While Ramzan is the main festival of Muslims, Moharram too is

celebrated on a large scale in Telangana. It is known famously as peerla
panduga. Pir means Master. Many Hindus take part in the festival.

Chirstians, mainly in and around Hyderabad celebrate Christmas and

Good Friday with great fervor and religiosity.
Arts and Crafts

Telangana is a great place for arts and crafts with many astounding
handicrafts.

Bidri Craft

The unique art of silver engraved on metal. Black, gold and silver
coatings are applied on this. It involves various several stages like
casting, engraving, inlaying and oxidizing. The name of this art form is
derived from a town called Bidar (currently part of Karnataka) of the
erstwhile Hyderabad state.

Banjara Needle Crafts

Banjara Needle Crafts are the traditional handmade fabrics made by

Banjaras (the tribal Gypsies) in Telangana. It is a form of embroidery
and mirror work on fabrics employing the needlecraft.

Dokra Metal Crafts

Dhokra or Dokra is also known as bell metal craft and is widely seen in
Jainoor Mandal, Ushegaon and Chittalbori in Adilabad district. The
tribal craft produces objects like figurines, tribal gods, etc. The work
consists of folk motifs, peacocks, elephants, horses, measuring bowl,
lamp caskets and other simple art forms and traditional designs.
Nirmal Arts

The renowned Nirmal oil paintings use natural dyes for depicting
themes from the epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata. Also, the
wood paintings and other wooden articles, has great aesthetic
expression. The origin of the Nirmal craft is traced back to the Kakatiya
era. The motifs used for Nirmal craft are floral designs and frescoes
from the regions of Ajanta and Ellora and Mughal miniatures.

Bronze Castings

Telangana is famous world-wide for its amazing Bronze castings. While

using solid casting of icons, the mould is created using several coatings
of different clays on a finished wax model. This process then imparts
fine curves to the cast image.

The Telangana government has announced the following four icons for
the new State:

The State Bird - Palapitta (Indian Roller or Blue Jay).

The State Animal - Jinka (Deer).

The State Tree - Jammi Chettu (Prosopis Cineraria).

The State Flower - Tangedu (Tanners Cassia).

These icons reflect the culture and tradition of Telangana state and
three of them - Tangedu flowers, Blue Jay and Jammi Chettu - are
associated with the popular festivals of Batukamma and Dasara. While
Tangedu flowers are used in stacking of Batukammas, spotting the Blue
Jay on Dasara is considered a good omen and people worship Jammi
Chettu on that day.

Palapitta: Lord Rama spotted the Palapitta before invading Lanka and
vanquished Ravana. Palapitta has been chosen to put Telangana on the
path of victory

Jinka: Deer is deeply associated with Indian history and a reference to

this graceful animal was there in the great epic Ramayana. It can
survive in the smallest forests also. It reflects the mindset of the people
of Telangana as it is very sensitive and innocent.

Jammi Chettu: Pandavas had vanquished a large army of Kauravas only

after performing worshipping the Jammi Chettu. They had hidden their
weapons on a Jammi Chettu when they had been forced into exile in
the forests. Now, Telangana requires the blessings of the Jammi Chettu.

Tangedu Flower

Tangedu flower which is used during the Batukamma festival by women

folk is the most appropriate choice as the state flower.
Telangana wins 5 Awards for NREGS implementation

Telangana has bagged five prestigious national awards in the

implementation of Mahathama Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) works for the year 2016-17. Warangal
District - effective implementation of the programme, Manoharabad
(Nizamabad District) Sarpanch - individual award for providing highest
employment days. Mr. Abdul Sattar - post office award for clearing all
payments on time, Deen Dayal Gramin Kaushal Yojana (DDU KKY)
Award for the State and Geo-MGNREGS Award for best utilisation of
Bhuvan software for Panchayat Raj Dept.

Telangana bags five awards at FICCI Homeland Security Conference

Telangana Police received five awards at Federation of Indian Chambers

of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Homeland Security Conference held
in New Delhi on 25 May, 2017. Smart passport verification process,
cyber forensics lab initiative, smart innovative policing won laurels at
the Conference while Hyderabad Police Commissioner and Suryapet SP
were presented with special jury awards.

Hawk Eye gets National e-Governance Gold Award: Telangana Polices

Hawk Eye mobile app has been selected for National e-Governance
Gold Award for 2016-17 under the category of Innovative Use of Mobile
Phone Technology in e-Governance. The Award is instituted by
Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and
Department of Electronics and Information Technology, GoI.
Commissioner, Hyderabad Police received the Award from Union
Minister of State, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Sri PP Chowdary at the National Conference on e-Governance held on
January 9 & 10, 2017 at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Hawk Eye
App was the only eGov initiative from a Police Department out of all
the 20 Awardees selected under 12 categories.

Telangana Police secure Best Performing State Award: Telangana

secured Best Performing State Award at the All India Police Duty Meet
held in Mysore from December 19-23, 2016. Telangana Police also won
awards under Scientific Aids to Investigation, Forensic Sciences,
Computer Awareness, Lifting and Packing of Exhibits, Police Dog
Investigation and Best State in India for empowering Police with

Information Technology categories.

Telangana gets CSI Nihilent e-Governance Award of Excellence 2016:

Mr GT Venkateshwar Rao, Commissioner, ESD, received CSI Nihilent e-
Governance Award of Excellence 2016 for state of Telangana at
Coimbatore on 24 January, 2017.
Telangana chosen for CNBC-TV18's 'Promising State of the Year'
Award: Telangana State has won CNBC-TV18's India Business Leader
Award (IBLA) under the Promising State of the Year category. Hon'ble
Minister for Industries, IT and MA&UD Sri K.T. Rama Rao received the
Award from Union Minister for Finance Sri Arun Jaitley in New Delhi on
30 August, 2016.

Telangana Police get MEAs Certificate of Recognition for VeriFast:

Telangana Police got Certificate of Recognition for its VeriFast
software application that revolutionised police verification process in
issuance of Passports. DGP, Telangana Police Sri Anurag Sharma
received the Award from External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj
in New Delhi on 24 June, 2016.

Minister KTR wins Skoch Challenger Award in Start-up India category:

IT Minister Sri KT Rama Rao selected for Skoch Challenger Award in
Start-up India category. The Minister received the Award, for States
path-breaking initiative T-Hub, from Union Urban Development
Minister Sri M. Venkaiah Naidu on 18 March, 2016.

Telangana bureaucrats win Skoch Award in Social Inclusion category:

IT E&C Department Secretary Sri Jayesh Ranjan and Finance
Department Special Chief Secretary Sri K Pradeep Chandra were
selected for the Skoch Challenger Award under Social Inclusion
category for their efforts in promoting entrepreneurship among Dalits
through Industries Department. Sri Jayesh Ranjan received the award
from Union Urban Development Minister Sri M. Venkaiah Naidu

Telangana State Skill Development Mission (TSSDM) gets ASSOCHAM

Award: Telangana State Skill Development Mission (TSSDM) won
ASSOCHAMs Best State in Skill Development Award. Sri K Madhukar
Babu Executive Director EGMM received the Award from Union
Minister of State Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent
Charge) Sri Rajiv Pratap Rudy on 15 March, 2016 in New Delhi.

Police, Transport Depts shine at 19th Express Technology Sabha:

Telangana State won two Awards at the 19th Express Technology Sabha
Awards held at Kochi, Kerala on 20 February, 2016 under Innovative
Use of Technology in Delivery of Citizen Centric initiatives category.
Body-worn Camera initiative of Police Department and eVahan Bima
initiative of Transport Department has got laurels to the State. A V
Ranganath, IPS, DCP Traffic, Hyderabad and Sandeep Kumar Sultania,
IAS, Transport Commissioner, Hyderabad have received the awards on
behalf of Police and Transport Departments respectively.
TASK selected for PRCI Chanakya Academic Excellence Award:
Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK) won Public
Relations Council of India's Chanakya Academic Excellence of the Year
2016 Award. TASK CEO Mr. Sujiv Nair received the Award from West
Bengal's Minister for Child & Women Development Dr. Sashi Panja on
23 January, 2016 in Kolkata.

Telangana CNBC TV18s Promising State of The Year: Telangana won

CNBC TV18s Promising State of The Year Award at the 11th India
Business Leader Awards (IBLA) - 2015.

Minister KTR chosen for Audi-Ritz Inspirational Icon of the Year:

Minister KT Rama Rao received the Audi-Ritz Inspirational Icon of the
Year Award (Politics) for 2015 in Bengaluru on 13 December, 2015.

TSPSCs CBRT wins Skoch Order-of-Merit Award, 2015: The Telangana

State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) won Skoch Order-of-Merit
Award-2015 for successfully adopting, implementing IT initiatives and
holding online exams in a transparent and foolproof manner.
TSPSC Chairman Sri G. Chakrapani, Secretary Smt. Parvathi
Subramanian, Technical Advisor Sri Nishant Dongari were part of the
delegation that received the Award on 10 December in New Delhi.

Digital Telangana, MeeSeva get Skoch Smart Technology Award:

Telangana State IT Department has won Skoch Smart Technology
Award 2015 for two of its initiatives - Digital Telangana and MeeSeva
2.0. Sri GT Venkateshwar Rao, Commissioner, Electronic Service
Delivery (ESD) and Kum. Radha Sindhiya, OSD, IT E&C Department
received the Awards on 10 December in New Delhi.

Telangana gets Award for Inclusive Development: IT & Panchayat Raj

Minister Sri KT Rama Rao received the India Today State of States 2015
Special Jury Award for Inclusive Development from Union Home
Minister Sri Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on November 06, 2015.
Telangana won the Award in Best Infrastructure category last year.

Water Grid Project wins HUDCOs Award: IT and Panchayat Raj

Minister Sri KT Rama Rao received HUDCOs special award for
Telangana Drinking Water Supply Project from Union Minister for
Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Sri
Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi on April 27, 2015.

CM elected CNN IBN's Indian of the Year: CNN IBN "Indian of the year
2014" Popular Choice Award was awarded to Honourable Chief
Minister Sri. K. Chandrashekar Rao. The award was received by MP Sri
K. Keshava Rao on behalf of the Chief Minister at New Delhi (17-03-
2015).

Best Infrastructure Award: Telangana was chosen for the State with
Best Infrastructure Award at the India Today Conclave on 31 October,
2014. Telangana IT Minister K T Rama Rao received the Award
representing the State.

The Skoch Renaissance Award 2014 in ICT Category: Telangana won

Skoch Renaissance Award 2014 in ICT category. Union Minister of
Urban Development and Housing Sri Venkaiah Naidu presented the
Award on 21 November, 2014 in New Delhi.

Telangana wins Renewable Energy Award: Telangana was awarded

'outstanding performer in promotion of renewable energy' at the first
Renewable Energy Global Investment and Expo Re-INVEST, held in New
Delhi on the 15 February, 2015. Telangana Energy Minister Sri G.
Jagadish Reddy received the award from Prime Minister Sri Narendra
Modi.

Telangana Government Schemes:

Mission Kakatiya

A flagship programme of the government aimed at restoring around

46,000 tanks in five years to provide irrigation source to about 25 lakh
acres spending Rs 22,000 crore. As of February, 2017, restoration work
has been started for nearly 20,000 tanks and works have been
completed for about 5,000 tanks. Government of Telangana has
sanctioned more than Rs. 4,600 crore for this initiative in 2015-16 and
2016-17 budgets. As part of the Mission, activities like desiltation ,
repairing damaged sluices and weirs, restoring dilapidated tank bunds,
stone revetments and plugging seepages are carried out.

Mission Kakatiya is aimed at improving the ground water table,

reducing the power consumption by farm sector, getting higher yields,
spurring the growth of livestock and rejuvenating rural economy on a
whole. As per the ICRISAT study, application of silt on farm fields
resulted in savings ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,750 on fertilisers and
pesticides. And the yield of cotton increased by 1,000 kgs per hectare.

Mission Bhagiratha

Under the Telangana Drinking Water Supply Project, a mammoth 1.30

lakh km stretch of pipelines would be laid to quench the thirst of
Telangana towns and villages apart from providing water for the
industrial needs. For this project, surface water of perennial rivers and
major reservoirs would be utilised as a raw water source.Taken up with
an estimated cost of Rs 35,000 crore, Mission Bhagiratha is intended to
ensure that no female member of a household would need to walk
miles to carry a pot of water. Under the this flagship programme, it is
conceived to provide 100 litres per capita per day (LPCD) treated and
piped water to every household in rural areas, 135 LPCD in
municipalities and 150 LPCD in municipal corporations. This pioneering
scheme has been commended by the Government of India for other
States to emulate.

Haritha Haram

Another flagship programme of the government, Telanganaku Haritha

Haram envisages increasing the green cover of the State from the
present 25.16 to 33 per cent of the total geographical area. A total of
230 crore seedlings would be raised in the coming three years starting
the first week of July celebrated as Green Week. Fifty lakh saplings
would be planted in GHMC limits alone this monsoon. Forest
Department and District Water Management Agency (DWMA) have
made ready 41 crore saplings for this year. Rs 325 crore has been set
aside in the FY 2015-16 for the purpose.

Kalyana Lakshmi/ Shaadi Mubarak

To alleviate financial distress of SC/ST and minority families,

Government decided to sanction a one-time financial assistance of Rs.
51,000 at the time of marriage for brides who are residents of
Telangana State. Accordingly, Kalyana Lakshmi and
Shaadi Mubaarak Schemes have been introduced with effect from
October 2, 2014 for unmarried girls, who have completed 18 years of
age at the time of marriage and whose parental income does not
exceed Rs. 2 lakh per annum. Rs 47 crore and Rs 32 crore disbursed to
9,368 SC and 6,483 ST brides respectively. Another Rs 50 crore was
distributed to 10,533 brides from Minority sections.

Arogya Lakshmi: Telangana government provides one nutritious meal

every day to pregnant and lactating women and children below the age
of six through Anganwadi centres. The scheme was launched officially
on January 1, 2015 by Honourable Chief Minister Sri K. Chandrashekar
Rao.

For the women, 200 ml of milk for 25 days a month and one egg each
day will be given with meal . Children, aged between seven months
and three years are provided with 16 eggs a month in addition to a 2.5
kg food packet. For children aged between 3 and six years, one egg a
day in addition to rice, dal, vegetables and snacks is supplied.

A total 18,96,844 lactating mothers, 5,18,215 infants and 21,58,479

pregnant women were covered under the scheme expending Rs 627.96
crore in the past year. The quantity of food items supplied under the
scheme has also been increased across all the categories.

Aasara pensions

As a part of its welfare measures and social safety net strategy, the
Telangana government has introduced the Aasara pensions, with a
view to ensure secured life with dignity for all the poor.

Aasara pension scheme is meant to protect the most vulnerable

sections of society in particular the old and infirm, people with HIV-
AIDS, widows, incapacitated weavers and toddy tappers, who have lost
their means of livelihood with growing age, in order to support their
day to day minimum needs required to lead a life of dignity and social
security.

The Telangana Government introduced Aasara - a new Pension

scheme - enhancing the monthly pension from Rs. 200 to Rs. 1000 for
the old aged, widows, weavers, toddy tappers and AIDS patients and
Rs. 500 to Rs. 1500 for disabled persons.

The government has spent Rs 4,700 crore on pensions benefitting 37,

65, 304 people including senior citizens, widows, physically
handicapped, poor & old-aged artists and beedi workers. An increase of
478% over the previous such schemes.

Housing for the poor

This hallmark initiative of the Telangana government is intended to

provide quality and respectable housing to the poor. The housing for
the poor plan provides for two and three storied buildings with the 2
BHK flats in Hyderabad and other urban areas while they are to be built
as independent houses in rural areas. A pilot has been taken up at IDH
Colony in Bhoidguda, Secunderabad. As many as 396 units - with each
comprising of two bedrooms, hall and kitchen - are being constructed in
32 blocks of G+2 on 580 square yards at a cost of Rs 37 crore at 7.9 lakh
per each flat.

Land distribution to Dalits

Another significant welfare scheme of the government that provides 3

acres of agricultural land to landless SC women, along with the
provision for creation of irrigation facilities, land development and
other agricultural inputs for their sustained
livelihood. Government distributed 2,524 acres of land to 959 Dalits
spending Rs 94 crore in the first year.
Rice distribution

A whopping 87.57 lakh eligible families, approximately 2,86,00,000

(two crore eighty six lakh) beneficiaries, are being supplied rice from
1st January, 2015 at 6 kgs per person at Re. 1 per kg without any ceiling
on the number of members in the family. More than 1.80 lakh MT of
rice per month would be required for this purpose. Rs. 1,597 was being
spent on the subsidy. To arrive at the eligibility of the BPL families, the
family income limit in rural areas has been increased to Rs. 1.50 lakh
and in urban areas to Rs. 2 lakh. The land ceiling has also been
increased to 3.5 acres of wet land and 7.5 acres of dry land.

Government started supplying superfine rice, or Sanna Biyyam, to

schools and hostels benefitting 56 lakh students annually with an
additional outlay of Rs 120 crore. More than 12,500 MT of rice is being

distributed for the purpose.

Strengthening security apparatus

To safeguard and secure the lives of its citizens, the Telangana

Government sanctioned an amount of Rs. 271 crore for the purchase of
4,433 vehicles for Hyderabad and Cyberabad Police. Out of these, 3,883
vehicles equipped with modern technology have already been
purchased. The number of new vehicles provided to the remaining nine
districts in the State is 550. Additionally, 1500 motor cycles have been
provided to Cyberabad Police to respond within 10 minutes of receiving
a complaint or call. State government has allocated a monthly amount
of Rs.75,000, Rs.50,000 and Rs.25,000 to each police station in the city,
district headquarters and villages, respectively.

The Government has taken up CCTV project under which one lakh CCTV
cameras are planned to be installed in 2015-16 in Hyderabad city. All
these cameras will be connected to the proposed Command and
Control Centre.

SHE Teams

Keeping rising incidents of crime against women in mind, the Telangana

government has constituted a seven member committee headed by
IAS officer Poonam Malakondaiah to advise it on the measures to be
taken for the safety and security of women and girls. The committee
submitted its report with 77 recommendations. Forming SHE teams is
one of them.
The teams keep tab on the eve-teasers and stalkers in crowded places.
Initially set up in Hyderabad and Cyberabad police Commissionerates,
they were expanded to all the Telangana districts on 1 April following
the encouraging results.