Centre’s approach to Telangana is ‘strange’, says KTR

Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao the union government had a 'strange' approach to Telangana

Hyderabad: Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao said that the union government had a ‘strange’ approach to Telangana, with the BJP-led Centre appreciating the good work done by Telangana by presenting awards and then, blatantly criticising the State government’s performance.

“Strange are the ways of the Central government. At one end, it presents awards to Telangana and on the other end, it utters lies. I fail to understand this logic” Rama Rao said at a Swachh Survekshan 2022 programme here on Tuesday.

All Municipal Commissioners, Mayors and Chairpersons from the 19 Swachh Survekshan 2022 award-winning urban local bodies participated in the programme. As recognition of their good work, the MAUD Minister announced an additional assistance of Rs.2 crore each to the 19 ULBs. All these funds were to be utilized exclusively for executing sanitation works, he said.

This apart, a study tour of Indore would be arranged for the Municipal Commissioners, Mayors and Chairpersons from the 19 ULBs to follow and adopt their best practices. “The best performing representatives from 10 ULBs out of the 19 ULBs will be sent to study tours to Japan and Singapore as well” Rama Rao said.

The State Government was extending all support, including financial assistance to ULBs. All that the municipalities and municipal corporations had to do was ensure sanitation, maintenance of existing infrastructure, establishment charges and allocation of Green Budget, he said.

Stressing on sanitation, the Minister suggested to the ULBs to deploy mechanized sweeping machines on main roads. In lanes and colony roads, services of municipal workers could be utilized, he said. “The Telangana government has increased salaries of municipal workers to Rs.12,000 and all the ULBs have to pay these salaries” said Rama Rao.

Further, the State government was appointing Ward Officers. In ULBs with less than 50,000 population, one Ward Officer would be appointed for two wards and in ULBs with more than 50,000 population, there would be one Ward Officer for each ward. To this effect, recruitment of 3,712 Ward Officers was under progress, he said.

“The Telangana government has also announced filling up of vacancies in different departments. Accordingly, the recruitment process of over 50,000 jobs is under progress,” the Minister said.