Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allot the Secunderabad Parade Grounds to the TS government to build the Secretariat complex.
Mr Rao requested the PM to exempt farm-related and agriculture dependant trades from Income Tax.
Mr Rao wanted an Act be passed in this regard. “The entire income generated through agriculture is exempted from I-T now. There are several other professions; trades that solely depend on the agriculture sector in the hinterlands. Several backward communities survive through these professions. Sheep-rearers, fishermen, weavers, washermen, hairdressers etc. virtually eke out a living from their hereditary professions. They are doing highly laborious work and some of them are also in artistic work. Taxing their income from such professions is not justified,” Mr Rao explained.
He also briefed the PM in detail the recent passage of increased reservation for STs and Backward Muslims by the TS Legislature. Mr Rao sought early clearance from Centre to keep the quota under Schedule 9 of the Constitution.
He also requested the PM to give more weightage to states to decide the quantum of reservations to various communities.
The CM also requested the PM to take measures to increase the number of Legislative Assembly constituencies in TS, based on the AP Reorganisation Act. He also wanted the bifurcation of the High Court to be expedited, release of Rs 1,400 crore of CAMPA funds from the Centre, recognition of Kaleswaram project as a National Project and release of funds accordingly.
Meanwhile, Mr Rao, who met Union Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, requested him to get approval for the new Land Acquisition Act passed by the TS Assembly. The CM said the oustees will get major benefits quickly under the new Act and construction of projects will also be expedited. To this, Mr Prasad said that his ministry has already accorded approval.
