Barricades removed from Pragati Bhawan after 10 years, CM Revanth Reddy listened to public complaints
For the first time, Pragathi Bhavan, the residence office and camp of the Prime Minister of Telangana, is open to the public. The new Minister Principal Revanth Reddy also renamed Pragathi Bhavan as ‘Jyotirao Phule Praja Bhavan’ and celebrated ‘Praja Darbar’ at 10 am on 8 December, addressing the concerns of those who had asked to meet him.
Minutes after Revanth Reddy took oath as the Chief Minister of Telangana, barricades and iron fences surrounding Pragathi Bhavan, the regional office and the official residence of the Prime Minister, were being removed. He said, from now on Pragati Bhawan will be accessible to all.
This was one of the major promises made by the Congress in its election manifesto. The party had promised to revive the Praja Darbar which was started by former Andhra Pradesh (where Telangana became a part) minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy during his tenure.
Videos on social networks on Friday showed people clamoring to meet the minister principal after Reddy told the public that he was asking them to solve their unresolved problems. Apart from this, various student organizations like National Union of Students of India (NSUI) also reached Pragathi Bhawan to submit their memorandum to Reddy.
When YS Rajasekhara Reddy was the Prime Minister of united Andhra Pradesh after 2004, he asked the public to visit him at this residence and put forward their questions. However, when the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (then TRS) led government came to power in 2014, heavy restrictions were imposed on the facilities, restricting even public entry.
Addressing the people gathered at the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, Reddy said the state government will give justice to the families of those who sacrificed their lives for the well-being of Telangana state, as well as students and unemployed youth. He also said that the development of the state would compete with the world and that the government would act as a “servant” of the people and not as a ruler.
