Ahead of Union Budget, Telangana Flags 47 Pending Issues with Centre
These include infrastructure, industrial, energy, urban development and social sector proposals.
Hyderabad: Ahead of the Union Budget on February 1, the state government has urged Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to address 47 pending issues pertaining to 12 key departments through budgetary support and policy clearances. These include infrastructure, industrial, energy, urban development and social sector proposals.
In the roads and buildings sector, Telangana has sought Cabinet approval and funding of ₹34,367.62 crore for the Regional Ring Road, along with sanction of ₹45,000 crore for 10 greenfield radial roads connecting the Outer Ring Road to the proposed RRR.
It has also requested approval and ₹17,000 crore funding for the greenfield highway between the proposed dry port in Telangana and the Bandar port in AP, clearances for proposed airports at Adilabad, Palvancha and Basantnagar, and sanction of eight railway line proposals.
Other demands include upgradation of national highways in backward regions, the Hyderabad–Srisailam elevated corridor, six-laning of NH-65 and approval for Hyderabad Metro Rail Phases II-A and II-B as a 50:50 joint venture between the Centre and the State, involving an investment of over ₹44,000 crore.
In the industrial sector, the state has pressed for inclusion under India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, early completion of the feasibility study for an integrated steel plant in the Khammam region through Mecon Ltd, and final approval with central funding for the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park under the PM Mitra scheme.
Energy-related issues include sanction of six transmission projects worth ₹281.6 crore under the power systems development fund schemes, restoration of 4,000 MW solar allocation under PM Kusum-A, allocation of one lakh off-grid and two lakh feeder-level solar pumps under PM Kusum B and C, recognition of Singareni Collieries Company Limited command area coal blocks and approval of the mining lease for Tadicherla Coal Block-II.
In urban development, the state has sought ₹4,170 crore for the Warangal underground drainage project, land transfer and a 60 per cent central grant for the Musi riverfront and Bapu Ghat development, and ₹17,212.69 crore for the Hyderabad Sewerage Master Plan under Amrut 2.0 or as a special project. It has also requested ₹6,000 crore sanction for the Godavari–Musi river link under the National River Conservation Plan.
Education-related demands include sanction of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in 16 uncovered districts, Kendriya Vidyalayas in nine districts and approval for a new Indian Institute of Management (IIM) at Hyderabad. In the housing sector, Telangana has sought sanction of three lakh rural houses with release of ₹1,800 crore under PMAY-G and inclusion of 12 newly formed urban local bodies under PMAY-U.