Congress to unveil ‘Old City Declaration’ to Address Unique Challenges

Hyderabad, August 14 (Hydnow): The Congress party is preparing a specific declaration for the Old City of Hyderabad to address the unique challenges faced by its residents.

Hyderabad DCC President Sameer Waliullah, in a media statement on Monday, said that the party has already begun to identify the challenges faced by the residents of the Old City of Hyderabad. He said that they are reviewing surveys that have been conducted recently to understand the living standards and challenges faced by the people. They also plan to collaborate with NGOs and social activists to brainstorm sustainable solutions. The findings and proposed solutions will be shared with the state leadership and included in the election manifesto. Waliullah said that they want to create a standalone declaration for the Old City of Hyderabad, similar to the declarations that have been made for farmers, youth, and women.

Sameer Waliullah emphasized the gravity of the situation by sharing alarming statistics from recent NGO surveys. The surveys showed that poverty is a major challenge, especially for the Muslim community living in the city’s slums. Sixty percent of the Old City’s 58 lakh people live in slums. Of these, 74% are tenants and only 26% own their homes. Surprisingly, 38% do not have white ration cards. In 37% of households, women are the sole breadwinners.

The educational situation is also grim. Almost 15% of children drop out of school between the fifth and tenth grades. Hyderabad accounts for 33% of all chronic diseases in the state, but the Old City alone reports over 50% of these cases. Financial problems also plague the region, with 65% of families struggling with debt and high-interest rates. They borrow money from private lenders to pay for basic necessities like food and medicine. The interest rates charged by these lenders range from 10 to 21%.

In addition to poverty, alcoholism is a major problem in the Old City. It is a significant factor in marital discord in some areas. Sameer Waliullah said that the BRS government has promoted alcoholism by granting permission for wine shops indiscriminately.

“The BRS Govt has neglected the Old City’s development over the past nine years. The Congress party will offer pragmatic solutions that will not just serve as superficial promises but have the potential to fundamentally transform the face of the Old City in the next five years,” he said. (Hydnow)

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