Telangana Cabinet Approves 2 DAs to State Staff, Pensioners

Hyderabad: The state Cabinet on Thursday approved the payment of two dearness allowances (DAs) to state government employees and pensioners pending since 2024, imposing an additional annual burden of around Rs 2,500 crore on the state exchequer, while expressing serious concern over El Nino conditions, deficit rainfall, rising power consumption, drinking water shortages and the need to protect standing crops in the state.

The Cabinet also appealed to the Centre to declare drought-hit mandals and extend appropriate financial assistance to Telangana to overcome the impact of El Nino. A team of ministers would soon visit Delhi to meet Union ministers and explain the situation in the state.

The Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy at Secretariat, decided to immediately release two of the pending DAs to employees and corresponding dearness relief (DR) to pensioners. The arrears accumulated since 2024 would be paid in instalments with their salaries and pensions.

Briefing the Cabinet decision to the media, I&PR minister Ponguleti Srininivas Reddy said despite the financial burden, the Chief Minister decided to implement the DAs in line with the assurance given during recent discussions with employee associations.

The Cabinet held a detailed discussion on the El Nino situation and its impact on the state. Telangana has recorded around 17 per cent deficit rainfall during the current monsoon season, which ended on Wednesday, with about 235 mandals facing severe rainfall deficiency and drought-like conditions. It decided that immediate relief measures in drought-hit mandals would be discussed by the Cabinet sub-committee.

The Chief Minister directed officials to convene an all-party meeting soon and hold consultations with farmers’ organisations and experts from different sectors to obtain suggestions on El Niño mitigation measures.

The Cabinet also directed officials to make arrangements for procurement of kharif paddy, with procurement centres to be opened shortly. The civil supplies department has estimated that around 65 lakh metric tonnes of paddy would have to be procured during the season. Officials were asked to take all necessary measures to ensure smooth procurement.

The Cabinet expressed concern over the sharp rise in electricity consumption amid El Nino conditions. Against the normal daily power consumption of around 15,000 MW, peak demand this season has reached a record 19,892 MW, close to 20,000 MW. The peak demand recorded during the whole of last year was 16,613 MW.

It decided to focus on augmenting generation and ensuring adequate supply to meet the rising demand. The state would procure sufficient power to ensure uninterrupted supply and purchase additional power as required. Keeping future demand and requirements in view, the Cabinet approved steps to add around 7,800 MW of renewable-energy capacity and decided to invite bids under the Central government norms.

The proposed capacity includes 3,000 MW of solar power, 4,000 MW through Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and 800 MW of wind power projects. The Cabinet discussed the proposals and approved taking up the projects through the bidding process.

It further decided to review long-pending irrigation projects that were launched as part of Jalayagnam scheme during the YSR regime in combined Andhra Pradesh. In accordance with earlier directions, officials were asked to cancel projects taken up under the EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) mode that remained incomplete. As part of the exercise, the Cabinet approved stopping 10 EPC irrigation projects and calling for fresh tenders.

The Cabinet also decided to expedite work on a world-class integrated fruit market at Koheda in Abdullapurmet mandal of Ranga Reddy district. It directed that the market be developed entirely with government funds. It sanctioned Rs 650 crore under phase-1.

The Cabinet also approved a digital media advertising policy in Telangana and approved its implementation in line with the Digital Advertisement Policy formulated by the Central Bureau of Communication.

It also approved creation of a deputy commissioner post in the office of the Resident Commissioner at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi. Four more Group-I officers would be posted in Delhi to work on behalf of the state government to coordinate and pursue Telangana's pending projects and funds with the Centre.