Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday directed officials to provide financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh and employment to the family members of 'martyrs' who died for the cause of separate statehood.

He asked officials to prepare guidelines and submit proposals on providing the aid and also employment to kin of the 'martyrs', a release from his office said here.

The district Collectors should verify the help needed for each martyr's family. The financial assistance should be provided to the families without delay, the release said. In another decision, the Chief Minister will launch a scheme of providing Rs 1,000 in assistance to beedi workers from March 1.

Rao said he would inaugurate the scheme in Karimnagar, Medak and Nizamabad districts, the release said. It said the chairman of vaccine-maker Shantha Biotech's Varaprasad Reddy called upon the Chief Minister here today. On the occasion, Rao said the state government would encourage vaccine-making firms in Telangana.

Observing that Hyderabad has emerged as a major centre for production of vaccines, Reddy, however, said there was no lab in Telangana for testing the standard of vaccines. On this, Rao said the state government would take steps for setting up such a lab in Hyderabad.