Telangana CM, deputy meet PM Modi; discuss pending bifurcation issues

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his deputy Bhatti Vikramarka on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here and requested him to expedite pending projects in the state.

In the 30-minute meeting held at the prime minister's official residence here, the two Congress leaders also stressed on the need to clear pending central grants to the ''debt-ridden'' state.

This was Reddy's first meeting with PM Modi after becoming the chief minister.

''All pending issues were discussed in the meeting. We gave a detailed representation requesting the Prime Minister to address our pending issues at the earliest,'' Reddy told reporters after the meeting.

Deputy CM Vikramarka said the 10-year rule of BRS has turned Telangana into a debt-ridden state and requested Modi to address the pending bifurcation issues at the earliest so that the state can fulfil the people's aspirations and flourish.

''Modi responded positively and said he will do his best keeping in mind the federal spirit,'' he said.

Sharing the long pending issues, Vikramarka said even special assistance to be given to the state under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act for backward areas is still pending.

''We requested PM Modi to release at the earliest the pending grants amounting to Rs 1,800 crore for the period from 2019-20 to 2023-24,'' he said.

The 15th Finance Commission grants to the tune of Rs 2,233.54 crore are also pending including Rs 129.69 crore for the 2022-23 fiscal and Rs 1,608.85 crore for 2023-24, he said.

In the meeting, the deputy CM said that ''approval for upgradation of 12 highway projects are pending with NHAI and requested PM Modi to expedite the same''. The assurances during the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh are also pending including setting up of a steel plant at Khammam and an integrated coach factory at Kazipet, he said.

Vikramarka also requested Modi to revive and restore the Information Technology Investment Region project sanctioned for Hyderabad way back in 2010 but it was shelved off with the change of government at the Centre in 2014.

He also requested the PM to re-classify the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park in Warangal, one of the seven parks recognised under PM-MITRA Park scheme, as a green field project.

Besides, the deputy CM demanded the PM to give a national status to Palamuru Rangareddy Irrigation Project, commence admissions at Tribal University from 2023-24, and sanction Indian Institute of Management and Sainik School in Secunderabad Cantonment area.

In the meeting, he also demanded shifting of Southern Command of the Indian Army to Hyderabad which is currently at Pune.

''The Secunderabad Cantonment is one of the largest of its kind and is ideal for locating Southern Command headquarters,'' he added.

Raising pending bifurcation issues, the deputy CM demanded early settlement of division of Schedule IX government companies, dispute regarding Schedule X institutions, as well as division of Telangana Bhavan in the national capital.

The two leaders are likely to leave for Hyderabad tomorrow morning.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)