Our Bureau

Hyderabad , July 17

A DAY after forwarding the resignations of six Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Ministers for the approval of the Governor, the Andhra Pradesh Government has decided to request the Centre to sanction a special package for all round development of Telangana region.

Disclosing this at a meeting with Congress Legislators from Telangana region at his camp office, the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said his Government was fully committed and determined to achieve rapid progress of the Telangana region by taking up various irrigation projects.

In view of this, the State Government has decided to spend around Rs 22,000 crore exclusively for Telangana region as against total investment of Rs 46,000 crore for the irrigation projects, the Chief Minister said.

Dr Reddy has also assured the Congress MLAs of the region that an expert in irrigation would be separately appointed to look after the construction of irrigation projects in Telangana. Further, the Chief Minister assured them that a separate cell would be established in General Administration Department for the effective implementation of G.O. 610, which would benefit the Telangana region immensely.

The Chief Minister has also said separate Government Orders would be issued soon to exclusively allot time to discuss the issue of irrigation projects for one full day in District Development Review Committee (DDRC) meetings, wherein the Minister for Major Irrigation and other top officials would participate.

According to the Chief Minister, out of the Rs 1,300-crore waiver of electricity dues, the farmers of Telangana region were benefited to the tune of Rs 800 crore. Out of a total of 23 lakh agricultural pumpsets, 14 lakh were in Telangana alone were deriving the benefit from free power scheme.

Likewise, major share was earmarked for Telangana to improve the roads under Panchayat Raj, R&B, Rural Water Supply schemes and infrastructure development, he said.

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