Telangana CM urge MPs to take up pending projects with Centre
Hyderabad, July 13
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday advised MPs from the state to rise above political affiliations, work unitedly with the interests of Telangana as their primary objective, and take up with the Centre issues related to pending projects.
The Chief Minister urged them to focus specifically on securing necessary approvals from the Central government for irrigation projects and infrastructure development. Ahead of the Parliament session, a PowerPoint presentation regarding issues pending with the Centre was organised for the MPs at Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Praja Bhavan.
He stated that approval from the Union Finance Ministry is required to establish an IIM in Hyderabad and suggested that the MPs meet Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to request the sanction of the institute. The Chief Minister briefed the MPs on the status of discussions with the Central Government regarding the takeover of Hyderabad Metro Phase-I and the expansion of Metro Phase-II.
He informed them that the Centre had agreed to appoint SBICAPS as a consultant for this project and urged the MPs to ensure the process moves forward swiftly. He specifically requested BJP MPs Etala Rajender and Konda Vishweshwar Reddy to pay special attention to this matter.
The Chief Minister noted that while 95 per cent of land acquisition for the northern section of the Regional Ring Road (RRR) is complete, Union Cabinet approval is still required to commence work on that section and to proceed with land acquisition for the southern section.
Regarding the Musi River rejuvenation project, the Chief Minister stated that the first phase has reached the tendering stage. He mentioned that the Centre needs to issue an approval letter to include these works under the Urban Challenge Fund and suggested that the MPs meet Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to make a formal request.
The Chief Minister also briefed the MPs on the recent discussions in Karnataka, chaired by Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil and involving the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, on inter-state river water issues.
He noted that although Telangana is entitled to receive 15.09 TMC of water from the Tungabhadra project, siltation restricts the inflow to no more than 5 TMC.
The Chief Minister stated that they had requested C.R. Patil to persuade Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to cooperate in desilting the dam and canals, and he advised the MPs to meet the Union Minister regarding this matter.
The Chief Minister mentioned that the Central Government has taken responsibility for persuading Chhattisgarh to approve the diversion of water from the Godavari River to the Nagarjuna Sagar project as part of the river interlinking initiative.
He pointed out that Chhattisgarh has an allocated share of 300 TMC from the Godavari but is not currently utilising it; even if the state were to use 160 TMC in the future, a surplus of 143 TMC would remain, offering Telangana the opportunity to secure 43 TMC.
Chief Minister Reddy stated that Andhra Pradesh needs to issue No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for projects that were initiated during the tenure of the united state. The Chief Minister stated that he had discussed this matter with Union Minister C.R. Patil.
He noted that there was an agreement in principle and that the receipt of NOCs would clear the existing hurdles. Regarding the Tummidihetti project, the Chief Minister informed the MPs that he intends to meet with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to discuss construction at a height of 150-151 feet.
The Chief Minister announced that the alignments for bullet trains connecting Shamshabad Airport to Bengaluru, Chennai, and Mumbai have been finalised. He also stated that the necessary land acquisition for the Adilabad defence airport and the Warangal airport has been completed.
He requested the MPs to focus on the proposal to establish MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facilities and air cargo services at these airports.
Chief Minister Reddy affirmed that the state is cooperating with the Central Government with the primary goal of serving the state's interests. He mentioned that IAS officer Advait Kumar Singh has been appointed at Telangana Bhavan in Delhi to coordinate and provide necessary information to MPs, regardless of their political affiliations.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka also instructed officials to furnish all information requested by the MPs during the meeting. He stated that the state is proceeding with a cooperative approach towards the Central Government, in line with the spirit of federalism.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Nice to see coordination, but I'm skeptical. We've heard these promises before—like the Musi river cleanup which has been pending for years. Also, why ask BJP MPs specifically for metro work? Shouldn't it be a collective effort? Still, let's hope something concrete comes out of this meeting.
The Tungabhadra issue is critical—we're losing 10 TMC due to siltation! That's more than what some districts get in a year. And the interlinking with Godavari? If Chhattisgarh has surplus water, why can't we get our fair share? This is the kind of pragmatic politics we need. Good job, CM sahib!
Loved the PowerPoint presentation idea—very professional. But I hope this isn't just a photo op. The bullet train alignment to Bengaluru, Chennai, and Mumbai sounds ambitious, but we need to see actual ground work. And what about local transport in Hyderabad? Metro expansion is good, but we need more buses too.
The cooperative federalism approach is refreshing! Both state and centre seem to be talking now, unlike the constant fights in the past. The appointment of Advait Kumar Singh at Telangana Bhavan is smart—dedicated coordination will help. Kudos to CM for putting state interests first!
I appreciate the effort, but where is the timeline? When will the NOCs from Andhra come? When will the Tummidihetti project start? And the RRR road—95% land acquired but no Cabinet approval? That's frustrating. We need deadlines, not just discussions. 🙏
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.