Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday said the state’s coffers had run dry and the government had no land left with it to distribute to the poor. At a gathering at Osmania University after inaugurating newly-built hostels and laying foundation stones for various buildings, Reddy expressed concern over rising drug abuse in the state.
“Today, you cannot neglect education. I will tell you the real situation. I do not have land to distribute to the poor. Even if I wanted to make you rich, the coffers are empty. Land is not available,” he said.
To be sure, Telangana has 1.5 crore acres of agricultural land, of which 96 per cent are held by small and marginal farmers owning one to three acres each.
“Even if I bring a land ceiling act, I cannot acquire additional land. So, quality education is the only resource I can offer to my SC, ST, and minority brothers,” he added.
Reddy had earlier in May described Telangana’s financial situation as being in the “doldrums”, noting that the state could not raise fresh loans due to a lack of confidence from bankers. The chief minister also highlighted that the state employed 1.5 lakh people in the private sector over the last 20 months.
He asserted that Telangana is now a developed state, with the central government recognising it as a leader in state-owned revenue, law and order, and policing.
The CM on Monday promised to transform the 100-year-old Osmania University into a world-class institution at par with Stanford University of the United States and Oxford University of the United Kingdom.
Addressing a gathering of university students and faculty, the chief minister directed the officials concerned to set up a technical committee of engineers to conduct a detailed assessment of Osmania University’s infrastructure and prepare a development plan.
“Our vision is to transform Osmania University into a world-class institution at par with Stanford and Oxford. The campus should stand as a living testimony to Telangana’s history and its aspirations,” he added.
Revanth Reddy laid the foundation stones for new hostels for both women and men, as well as a library reading room at the university, as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen the academic and residential infrastructure of the century-old institution. He also inaugurated the newly constructed Dundubhi and Bhima hostel buildings, built to improve accommodation facilities for students on the campus.
Incidentally, Revanth Reddy is the first chief minister to step into the Osmania University campus and address the students since the eruption of the separate Telangana movement in 2021. The university was a hotbed of the Telangana agitation.
Though former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao attended the centenary celebrations of the university in 2018, he did not deliver any speech as the event was held in a hostile atmosphere due to students protesting against the then government’s neglect of the varsity.
Revanth Reddy, who visited the university for the first time after assuming charge as the chief minister in December 2023, said his government was making efforts to bring academic institutions back on track which were neglected during the previous administration.
“Soon after assuming office, we appointed vice-chancellors to all state universities, ensuring that capable and socially conscious individuals take charge of these institutions,” he said.
Revanth Reddy said Osmania University is an integral part of Telangana’s history and identity, describing it as the “nerve centre of social, cultural, and political movements” in the state. “There is no alternative to Osmania University when we talk about Telangana. Telangana and Osmania are like inseparable twins,” he said.
Highlighting the university’s rich legacy, the chief minister recalled its contribution to the 1938-armed peasant struggle and its role in shaping national leaders such as former Lok Sabha speaker Shivraj Patil, former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, and former Union minister S Jaipal Reddy.
Expressing concern over the growing menace of drug and substance abuse, the chief minister stressed the importance of steering youth away from harmful addictions. “Drugs and marijuana addictions are crippling our youth. We must work together to rescue them from this menace. Only education and awareness will help you excel in society,” he cautioned.
Reiterating his commitment to the institution, Revanth Reddy promised to return soon for a review meeting at the Arts College and to sanction additional funds for development projects. “If there is no Osmania University, there will be no Telangana. We shall ensure this campus remains a beacon of academic excellence and social consciousness,” the chief minister said.
