KTR flags off more ambulances under ‘Gift a smile’ initiative

Telangana’s Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, K.T. Rama Rao flagged three more COVID response ambulances on Saturday.

These vehicles have been donated by three legislators of ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) from combined Warangal district under ‘Gift a smile’ programme launched on the Minister’s birthday.

On his birthday on July 24, the Minister had called up on his ministerial colleagues, MPs, MLAs and party leaders to donate ambulances and named the initiative ‘Gift a smile’.

Rama Rao, who is also the working president of TRS, had appealed to them to donate at least 100 ambulances and support the government hospitals across the state amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since then about 30 ambulances have been flagged off. Last week, six ambulances were flagged. Three of them were donated by endowments Minister Indrakaran Reddy.

MLAs Balka Suman and Diwakar Rao gifted two and one ambulances respectively.

KTR also launched an ambulance gifted by the Marri Rajasekhar Reddy, party incharge of Malkajgiri Parliamentary constituency.

The vehicles have all the modern medical equipment including a ventilator and oxygen supply.

In August, the minister had flagged off 12 ambulances, six of them donated by him in his personal capacity.

KTR, as the Minister is popularly known, appreciated the kind gesture of TRS leaders who came forward to donate the ambulances. He said the ambulances donated by MLAs will be deployed in their respective constituencies to help the people.

Earlier, in July the Minister had handed over six ambulances donated by the party leaders to the health department.

Several leaders have pledged funds and handed over cheques to KTR for procurement of ambulances.