Cong. Govt Violated Constitution in Dividing GHMC Into Three Corporations: Kishan Reddy
Kishan Reddy also said several areas distant from the headquarters of the new civic bodies have been included into them, and this will result in those in rural areas, now merged in the corporations, lose employment guarantee scheme benefits, and other welfare programmes.
Hyderabad: Union minister and senior BJP leader G. Kishan Reddy on Wednesday declared that dividing Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation into three violated the Constitution of India, and the division was done without any comprehensive plan of action, not to mention any thought being given to how the new corporations will survive financially.
Addressing a press conference along with Telangana BJP state president N. Ramchander Rao, Kishan Reddy said the census directorate had issued clear instructions that no changes must be made in civic bodies and their jurisdictions after December 31, 2025, and if required, any such decision can be taken only after May 2027 when the census operations will be concluded. “The decision is clearly unconstitutional,” he said.
Kishan Reddy also said several areas distant from the headquarters of the new civic bodies have been included into them, and this will result in those in rural areas, now merged in the corporations, lose employment guarantee scheme benefits, and other welfare programmes.
“There was no planning, it was an ad hoc decision,” he said, adding that the GHMC itself was beset with serious problems in providing basic amenities to people. Till now the GHMC area covered 650 sq km, and now the three corporations will have 2053 sq km. And there is no indication of any planning on how civic amenities will be provided in the entire area,” Kishan Reddy said.
“Though the government said that it will limit the new corporations to within the ORR, some regions outside of it have been included and areas such as BHEL, ICRISAT have been removed from the new GHMC limits. The decision appears to have been taken under pressure from AIMIM. This was done only for political gains by the Congress which added areas such as Rajendranagar, Maheshwaram where MIM has presence into the GHMC and the plan is to hand over the GHMC control to AIMIM,” Kishan Reddy said.
To a question on state seeking Central funds for Musi rejuvenation, Kishan Reddy said, “It was ridiculous that the Congress government is asking the Centre to fund the entire project. It is a state government project, and the Centre will assist to the extent it can, but demanding that the entire funding come from the Centre is not tenable.”
