KTR taps Centre for funds

Hyderabad: Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Minister KT Rama Rao said on Friday that with the share of urban population in Telangana at 46.8 per cent, against the national average of 31.16 per cent, puts it among top three urbanised States. Hence the BJP-led Central government must allocate more smart cities and funds proportionately to the State to develop urban local bodies (ULBs).

Addressing the media, after releasing the 'Annual Report' 2021-22 of the MA&UD department for the fifth consecutive year, he said the Centre cannot have 'one size fits all' model for all States. The Ministry of Urban Development should view rural and urban States differently. "To support the TS as it is one of the most urban States, and the State needs to be looked at differently. The Centre cannot look the way it looks at very rural-focused State," stated KTR.

The minister requested Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, to allocate more smart cities and more funds to Telangana because it is more urban and compares favourably with the urban population of Tamil Nadu at 48.45 per cent, Kerala (47.23%) and Maharashtra (45.23%).

Replying to a question on the delay in the Elevated Bus Rapid Transit System (EBRTS) project from KPHB to Kokapet, Metro Rail connectivity Raidurg to Shamshabad Airport under phase-2 and construction of 15 bridges across the Musi river, he apologised and regretted the delay, citing the Covid pandemic as the reason for the delay. However, the government has given administrative sanction to all the projects. This year people will see the projects grounded; they would now move at a brisk rate.

KTR said the final piece in the housing infrastructure development is incomplete without including drinking water connections and laying of sewage lines. Under the Dignity Housing Scheme, the government is constructing 2.7 lakh double bedroom houses at a cost of Rs 18,000 crore, including one lakh in Hyderabad. They will be completed and provided all facilities. Replying to a question on delay in providing one of the biggest 2BHK housing projects in Patancheru and Rampally, the minister said only drinking water connection works were pending. Soon the Chief Minister will inaugurate them. On the monsoon action plan, he said it was started in February and nala safety audits were conducted in GHMC and all urban local bodies (ULBs). "I am satisfied with the Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP) works being executed. While temporary inconvenience is bound to be there as even the developed countries cannot handle heavy cloudburst in a short span," said KTR.