Telangana CM for doing facial recognition of welfare scheme beneficiaries

Hyderabad, Mar 3 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday directed officials to do facial recognition of beneficiaries of welfare schemes to eliminate ineligible ones during the special 99-day programme to be held from March 6.

Speaking at a conference of district Collectors and other officials, he said that eligible beneficiaries must definitely get the benefits of schemes, while no ineligible person should get them. About three lakh ineligible beneficiaries of social security pensions have been removed after doing facial recognition, he said.

Such a large number of ineligible people drew the benefits as technology was not used effectively, he said in a release.

The Chief Minister gave a series of instructions to the officials on various issues.

Calling for the promotion of solar energy, Reddy said farmers' understanding of solar pumpsets should be raised.

He asked the electricity department to spread awareness in villages on installing solar plants on rooftops and on generating income through connecting solar panels to the grid.

Reddy directed officials to register the details of hostels for working women, boys and girls in the three municipal corporations of Greater Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Malkajgiri and other cities and towns.

The managements of educational institutions should be made responsible if consumption of drugs and other narcotic substances and e-cigarettes is detected on their premises, he said.

The educational institutions should appoint psychologists similar to the appointment of teachers and Physical Education Teachers (PETs), he said.

The chief minister told transport officials to conduct fitness tests for school buses and other vehicles in a foolproof manner. He also suggested conducting eye tests for drivers of state-run RTC buses and private vehicles. The transport department should take up repairs on potholes on highways, among other measures, to reduce accidents, he said.

The state government has earlier announced that it would undertake a special 99-day programme to take the fruits of the government's welfare and development programmes more effectively to the people from March 6 to June 12. The 99-day programme would be taken up in five phases, the release said.

The programme would have 10 themes, including cleanliness from village level to the state level and clearance of pending files in government offices, health, welfare, security of children, checking drugs menace, farmers' welfare, education, youth and sports, women, environment and 'arrive-alive' (road safety).

The release also said preparatory meetings would be held on March 6 under the leadership of ministers. The 99-day programme, named 'Praja Palana - Pragati Pranalika' (people's governance - plan for progress) would have a special mobile app, it added. PTI SJR SJR ADB