Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday promised to consider Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s request for huge aid to Telangana state, besides clearing pending issues pertaining to the AP Reorganisation Act, especially the division of the High Court.
Mr Rao sought funds for various projects costing Rs 1,15,667 crore, besides sanction of a Rs 30,571 crore special grant spread over four years, Rs 10,000 crore for Mission Bhagiratha and Rs 3,064 crore towards drought relief, instead of the Rs 791 crore sanctioned by the Centre.
Mr Rao called upon the PM in New Delhi and discussed various issues pertaining to TS for about 40 minutes besides seeking extensive aid, national project status for Kaleshwaram irrigation project and early bifurcation of High Court.
He submitted a memorandum to the PM on various issues and sought his help. The CM said that designs were being prepared for the Rs 71,436 crore Kaleshwaram and Rs 4231 crore Pranahita-Chevella irrigation projects.
He requested the PM to declare the Kaleswaram project a national project and extend financial support.
Pointing out that the ITIR project was taken up in Hyderabad in 2013, Mr Rao told the PM that the government has identified suitable plan and sought financial assistance to speed it up.
Mr Rao sought an increase in Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management loan limit from the present 3 per cent to 3.5 per cent as recommended by the 14th Finance Commission, and that the tribal university be declared a national university and funds allotted accordingly.
He also sought allocation of funds in the 2016-2017 Central Budget for AIIMS being set up on 200 acres, permission and funds for setting up Rs 2,500- crore Tata Institute of Fundamental Research near Hyderabad University pending since 2007.
Stating that the TS government was facing IPS crunch in urban areas, he requested an increase in the IPS officers’ strength from the present 112 to 141.
Telangana set to ink pact on UDAY
Telangana is all set to become the 16th state to join UDAY, a scheme for revival of discoms. An agreement in this regard will be signed within 20 days.
The Centre has also given its approval for setting up three more units of 800 MW totalling 2400 MW at Ramagundam of Khammam district. This was conveyed by Union power minister Piyush Goyal to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, when the latter met him in New Delhi on Friday.
“The CM has in principle, given approval to join UDAY,” Mr Goyal told reporters. He said that the total debt of TS discoms was around Rs 12,500 crore and a formal agreement would be signed in the next 15-20 days so that a part of the loan can be transferred to state books.
The CM invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Goyal to lay the foundation stone of the NTPC's Ramagundam Thermal Power Project of 1,600 MW (2X800).
Mr Goyal said that the tendering process of the project was completed and production of 1,600 MW would be completed by 2020.
He assured that the project with total capacity of 4,000 MW will be implemented by 2021. Mr Rao also agreed to provide 600 acres of land for the project.
“The Centre has also approved setting up of a 1,080 MW power plant by the TSGenco. We will soon write to environment ministry so that the four units of 270 MW available with BHEL can be supplied for setting up the project at Manuguru in Khammam district in two years,” Mr Goyal said.
He also urged the CM to set up more solar parks in the state in addition to 2,500 MW planned capacity.
