KCR Endorses Cooperative Federalism
with Strong States, Strong Centre
KCR’s Welfare Architecture
Reflected a
Cradle-to-Grave Approach
Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao
The Hans India (February 15, 2026)
{{Budgets were treated by KCR, not merely
as financial statements but as instruments of communication, a lesson that
every CM must learn. His welfare architecture reflected cradle-to-grave
approach, grounded in the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable
distribution, and the State’s responsibility towards those unable to access
even the minimum conditions for a dignified life. He emphasized the need to replace the
mindset of ‘Government gives and people take’ with a purposeful approach:
‘how the Government could serve people better than before.’}}-Editor’s
Synoptic Note
It was on November 29, 2009, K
Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) who by then for over 10 years spearheading a peaceful
Separate Telangana State Movement, launched a fast-unto-death, demanding
formation of the State without further delay. On December 9, responding
positively, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram announced that, ‘The process
of forming the state of Telangana will be initiated.’ On October 3, 2013,
the Union Cabinet approved creation of Telangana. Parliament passed the Bill in
Lok Sabha on February 18, 2015, exactly, a day after KCR’s 60th
Birthday, and in Rajya Sabha on February 20.
Consequent to President’s assent, June
2, 2014 was confirmed as the ‘Day of Reckoning’ for formation of Telangana.
Throughout this phase, I publicly
articulated my views, participated in television debates, and wrote articles. After
TRS secured majority of seats in the Assembly Elections, KCR sworn in as First
Chief Minister (CM) of Telangana on June 2, 2014.
On June 19th, I officially joined
as the first Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) to the first CM, a role I
continued uninterrupted for 114 months until December 3, 2023, marking a record
in that position. Before assuming charge as CPRO to CM KCR, my professional
life had already entered a phase that ran parallel to, and often intersected
with, history in the making and itself taking a dramatic turn.
IN MY VERY FIRST MEETING with KCR on
June 17, 2014, pending Government Orders, which were in routine process, I had
the privilege of learning an early and enduring lessons in, how a Chief
Minister must articulate the vision of a new State. Telangana, he said, did not
merely require administration, but it needed to be ‘Reinvented and Reoriented.’
That articulation was not rhetorical.
Over the next ten years, through continuous review meetings that covered every
sector of governance and welfare, I watched this vision translate into practice,
exhibiting an unparalleled commitment.
KCR defined, designed, and delivered ‘what
the young state needed’ during the ten years of his governance, in two terms.
He ensured their execution with consistency and purpose. In this process, I
found myself involved, directly or indirectly, actively, or passively, at
different stages of decision-making. Nevertheless, KCR adopted a ‘Distinctive Leadership
Strategy’ when circumstances demanded. On select occasions, he chose to keep decisions
confined to himself until the moment of public announcement.
From this close association, I learnt
how a comprehensive and integrated policy framework must precede governance.
KCR insisted that overall development could not be achieved through isolated
initiatives. Inclusive growth, as he defined it, was not limited to economic
expansion but extended to empowerment across social sections. Industrialization
was viewed as the key driver for higher and sustainable growth, while equal
emphasis was placed on maintaining ecological balance and environmental
protection. Agriculture received focused attention.
Schemes and programs were not merely
announced by KCR, but they were meticulously implemented through time-bound
action plans aligned with the needs and aspirations of the people. In this
sense, his leadership qualities closely matched the attributes described by Jim
Collins in his book on Leadership, Good to Great, marked by clarity of
purpose, disciplined execution, and long-term institutional thinking. I
understood from KCR how crucial the planning stage was, especially, in the
preparation of budgets that resulted in the significant increase of state’s wealth due to fiscal prudence.
Budgets
were treated by KCR, not merely as financial statements but as instruments of
communication, a lesson that every CM must learn. His welfare architecture
reflected cradle-to-grave approach, grounded in the principles of
equality of opportunity, equitable distribution, and the State’s responsibility
towards those unable to access even the minimum conditions for a dignified
life. He had
done away with obsolete schemes and emphasized the need to replace the mindset
of ‘Government gives and people take’ with a purposeful approach: ‘how
the Government could serve people better than before.’
His grasp of irrigation systems and
capacity for re-engineering projects was incomparable. KCR’s Power-Point
presentation in the State Assembly on March 31, 2016, outlining this vision,
stands out in my memory as a landmark moment, with contemporary history
unfolding within the framework of independent India.
In Administrative and Survey
Settlement Related Land Reforms, KCR reminded Salar Jung of the Nizam Era and
PV Narasimha Rao. His depth of knowledge of concept, evolution, and
administrative logic of districts was striking.
What struck me most was the sincerity
and complexity with which the whole exercise to assess, survey, verify,
correct, and correlate land records across the State was approached. It
reflected his comprehensive understanding of land and revenue administration,
as well as systems that have evolved over centuries, with the village as the
foundational unit.
Arvind Subramanian, the
internationally renowned economist and then Chief Economic Advisor to the
Government of India, described Telangana’s land records updating program as the
‘Heart of Good Governance’ and remarked that it merited study as a case
at Harvard University.
KCR endorsed the concept of Collaborative
Federalism and a Strong Centre co-existing with Strong States, as
articulated by the Punchhi Commission. At the same time, he argued persuasively
for further strengthening States through greater devolution of financial
resources, reflecting his belief that cooperative federalism must be matched by
fiscal empowerment.
The first-ever large-scale sheep
distribution scheme launched by KCR, dressed in a Gongadi, wearing a
crimson-red turban, and playing the Oggodolu like a traditional shepherd
in a manner that was both symbolic and transformative, was simply Great. Over
time, it significantly enhanced incomes and social standing, making the Yadava
community among the most prosperous pastoral groups in the country. On that
day, I could not help but describe him as a ‘Good Shepherd.’
The Rythu Bandhu scheme attracted
attention far beyond Telangana and received strong endorsement from eminent
economists. The scheme was widely analyzed and praised. Arvind
Subramanian described Rythu Bandhu as a social and agricultural policy
template, characterizing it as an embryonic Universal Basic Income (UBI), or
more precisely, an embryonic Quasi-Universal Basic Income (QUBI). He suggested
that it could well represent the future of agricultural policy in India.
KCR had the
wisdom of economy and was fully conscious of the
sectors where benefits from the investments were the highest. He demonstrated a
clear understanding of sectors where public investment yielded the highest
long-term returns, while remaining equally conscious of the need to allocate
resources to meet the basic welfare requirements of the poor and vulnerable. He
left no stone unturned in steering the State toward stabilizing and advancing
the vision of a ‘Golden Telangana.’
His characteristic combination of
conventional and contemporary leadership of the highest order, marked by
statesmanship, vision, multifaceted qualities, and deep commitment, along with
his decision-making process rooted in consensus, consultation, and rigorous
review, together resulted in the conceptualization and implementation of
people-oriented, welfare-driven, and development-focused schemes in Telangana.
His review meetings exemplified a rare
blend of personal humility and professional expertise: Channeling determination
toward building robust systems for long-term continuity; Providing clear
vision, strategy, and direction; inculcating a culture of discipline across all
levels of the bureaucracy-both political and official, to achieve breakthrough
results; sharing rich experiences drawn from diverse fields, including
discipline, challenges, and successes; and driving participants to deliver
outstanding outcomes in both the short and long term.
Disseminating the essence of these
deliberations through press releases was the responsibility of the Public
Relations Team, led by me as CPRO to the Chief Minister. I had the opportunity
to observe him closely and with admiration, particularly the manner in which he
consistently demonstrated strong guidance and leadership capabilities.
In my close observation, this
leadership model merits inclusion as a case study at institutions such as
Harvard Business School, or any comparable global institution.
(My Ten Years Journey as First CPRO to First
TG CM KCR)
AND
(On KCR 72nd BIRTHDAY ON FEBRUARY 17, 2026, Happy Birthday to you Sir)
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