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Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has sought the Centre’s support in resolving some of the pending issues, including the proposed move to increase the reservation quota, while requesting it to provide a financial assistance of ₹20,000 crore for the mega Kaleshwaram irrigation project.
During his hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Nerandra Modi on Saturday, the Chief Minister had detailed discussions on several pending issues, which are part of the AP Reorganisation Act, and other issues, including early clearance for a Bill seeking to increase the reservation cap to over 50 per cent.
11 issues discussed
Telangana passed a Bill last year, providing for reservations to SCs, STs, BCs and minorities in excess of the cap set by the Supreme Court. The Chief Minister discussed 11 key issues, including the Bill on reservations, and submitted letters pertaining to them.
“Consequent on the formation of the Telangana State, the proportion of the weaker sections of population has increased compared with the combined State of Andhra Pradesh. The proportion of backward communities population has increased to over 50% of the total population. Therefore, there arose a need to relook at the percentage of reservations in favour of SC/ST/BC in the State.”
The other issues include amendment to the Presidential Order on zonal system, creation of separate high court after the bifurcation as per the AP Reorganisation Act, grant of ₹20,000 crore for the Kaleshwaram project, early completion of various the railway projects.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister also took up the issue of transfer of defence lands to the State government for construction of a new Secretariat building, funding related to development of backward areas, establishment of an Indian Institute of Management in the State, and sanction for Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas. The Prime Minister was also requested to facilitate the setting up of the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) in the State, the proposal for which had been shelved.
The Chief Minister mentioned that some anchor companies have already started setting up industries. However, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister of Information Technology, had recently announced that GoI has dropped the ITIR scheme.
The Chief Minister said, “If Government of India does not implement the ITIR scheme after launching it five years ago, it will dent the credibility of the government.”
The State has requested for the transfer of the Bison polo ground for construction of a new Secretariat and widening of the adjacent highway.
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