This will be Revanth Reddy’s first participation in a NITI Aayog meeting since assuming office in December 2023
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is expected to voice concern over the Central government reducing its grants for Telangana and seek substantial support for several ambitious infrastructure and development projects proposed by the state government during the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting in New Delhi on Saturday. The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This will be Revanth Reddy’s first participation in a NITI Aayog meeting since assuming office in December 2023. Last year, he boycotted the July 27 meeting, expressing strong dissatisfaction with what he termed the Centre’s "discriminatory" attitude towards Telangana, particularly in budget allocations and project approvals in the Union Budget 2024-25.
Official sources said that the Chief Minister will highlight the Centre's reduced allocations to key schemes, including the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). For the academic year 2025-26, Telangana had sought Rs 2,000 crore, but the Centre sanctioned only Rs 1,487 crore — a steep fall from Rs 1,945 crore granted in 2024-25. The state government is reportedly upset over these successive cuts and views them as a setback to its education initiatives.
Revanth Reddy is also set to demand financial and administrative support for infrastructure projects. One of them is the Musi Rejuvenation Project, for which the state is seeking Rs 20,000 crore in central assistance. The project envisions the development of Bapu Ghat at the confluence of the Isa and Musi rivers, the construction of 27 sewage treatment plants (STPs), and the strengthening of embankments and retaining walls. Additionally, the project includes linking the Musi with the Godavari river and requires the transfer of 222.7 acres of defence land for the Gandhi Sarovar Project, which the Chief Minister wants to bring to the notice of the PM.
The Chief Minister will also pitch for faster approvals and funding for Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-2 and support for the development of the Future City, being developed on the city's outskirts.
Revanth Reddy is expected to make a strong case for expedited clearances for the southern section of the Regional Ring Road (RRR) and the immediate commencement of work on the northern section of the RRR, where land acquisition has been completed. The state government is willing to bear 50 per cent of the land acquisition costs for the southern segment. THe will also propose a Regional Ring Rail, to run parallel to the RRR, aimed at improving railway connectivity across Telangana and adjacent states.
Given Telangana’s landlocked status, the Chief Minister plans to urge the Centre to approve a dry port near the RRR, along with a greenfield road and rail link to a seaport to enhance trade infrastructure.
In a bid to position Telangana as a national technology hub, Revanth Reddy will also pitch for the India Semiconductor Mission to be awarded to the state, citing Telangana’s existing ecosystem and infrastructure readiness.
