K Chandrashekar Rao said Telangana has witnessed robust growth during the past five years (File Photo)

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Thursday announced a 60-day special action plan to develop villages and towns in the state.

In his Independence Day address after hoisting the national flag at the historic Golconda Fort, Mr Rao said the first phase of the 60-day programme was aimed at improving sanitation in villages and towns with the participation of people.

"Whether it is in the villages or towns, unhygienic conditions are the root cause for ill health," Mr Rao said. "As part of this 60-day programme, officials and public representatives should change the topography of villages and towns with the participation of people."

The chief minister said the programme would bring about a total change in the appearance of villages and towns.

The government has decided to release funds to the local bodies from the Finance Commission grants before the commencement of the 60-day action programme, which is under preparation.

Stressing the need to focus on greenery, Mr Rao said saplings should be planted in a manner suggested by a ''green committee'' and people should also be made to plant saplings accordingly.

"We can buy comfort with money, but when there is no equilibrium in the environment, no amount of money or artificial comforts can comfort us," he said. "We cannot buy rain, air and tranquillity. Green plants, clean environment will only give us comfortable life."

Noting that a new revenue bill would be introduced in the coming budget session of the assembly to replace the old one, Mr Rao said: "The archaic and obsolete revenue acts have inflicted immense damage to the farmers and the people. We have to undo these damages."

He said the proposed act would give no room for corruption or laxity.

Observing that the existing legislations would not be sufficient to offer good governance, the chief minister said there was a need to replace all the old acts.

This is why the state government has brought in new legislations on panchayati raj and municipalities, he said. "With the new acts, I am sure there will be clean, tidy villages and towns with lots of greenery."

On Telangana's economy, Mr Rao said the state has witnessed robust growth during the past five years.

According to a report announced by the Centre, Telangana figured among the top states in gross state domestic product (GSDP) with 14.84 per cent growth rate during the 2018-19 financial year, he said.

On the industrial growth, Mr Rao said IT exports increased from Rs 52,000 crore to Rs 1.10 lakh crore in the last five years.

Meanwhile, AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi hoisted the Tricolour at Madina circle in the city.

The Independence Day was also celebrated in the offices of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi, opposition Telugu Desam Party, Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress.