Telangana CM seeks Centre’s support to develop Hyderabad as urban growth hub

Hyderabad, Jan 2 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday sought support from the Centre on collaboration in preparing a roadmap for developing Hyderabad as a pollution-free urban growth hub.  

He sought the support during a meeting with a team from NITI Aayog, headed by Vice-Chairman Suman Kumar Bery. 

The Chief Minister requested the NITI Aayog team to consider increased state allocations by 16th Finance Commission, funds for developing infrastructure facilities in health and education sector, and release of pending funds of Rs 1,800 crore with respect to the Backward Districts Development Grant under Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014. 

He also requested technical assistance in development of Musi River on par with national and international best practices such as Sabarmati River Front and Namami Gange through PPP model. 

He also sought support for establishing sewage treatment plants (STPs) across Musi riverfront. 

This was the first meeting between the Chief Minister and the team from the premier policy think-tank of the Centre after the change of guard in Telangana. 

The meeting held at the state Secretariat was attended by Deputy Chief Minister M Batti Vikramarka, who holds charge of the Finance, Planning, and Energy portfolios, Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari, and Special Chief Secretary, Finance & Planning Department, K. Ramakrishna Rao. 

The NITI Aayog delegation included member Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat, Director General DMEO, Sanjay Kumar and Director DMEO, Abinash Dash. 

According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, the meeting served as a platform for in-depth discussions on key developmental issues, policy initiatives, and collaborative strategies aimed at fostering the overall progress of the state. 

Both NITI Aayog and the state government expressed their commitment to working in tandem to address the unique challenges and opportunities facing the state. 

The Chief Minister highlighted the state's developmental priorities and key areas that require special attention. NITI Aayog officials actively engaged in discussions to understand the specific needs of the state and explore avenues for comprehensive development. 

Discussions included the fair allocation of central funds and resources to the state for various development projects. The meeting highlighted the importance of sharing innovative governance practices and successful models. NITI Aayog encouraged the state to showcase and adopt practices that have demonstrated success in addressing local challenges. 

--IANS 

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