Telangana: Congress opts for party-based BC quota; gram panchayat polls to be held first

Telangana Congress government extends party-based BC reservations, prioritising gram panchayat elections. Cabinet also approves Gig Workers Act, memorial initiatives for poet Ande Sri, and names SRSP Phase II after former minister Ramireddy Damodar Reddy. Local body polls follow HC directions.

Hyderabad: Taking a U-turn from its earlier stance of going for statutory 42 per cent reservations for BCs in local body polls, the Congress government on Monday decided to extend party-based reservations to BCs, with elections to gram panchayats to be held first.

Attributing the delay in implementing the quota to the Centre, the State government has decided to go for elections to ZPTCs, MPTCs, Municipalities and Municipal Corporations based on the High Court’s directions. These decisions were taken at the Cabinet meeting held on Monday.

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Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said about Rs 3,000 crore meant for panchayats under the 15th Finance Commission would lapse by March next year, prompting the government to advance the gram panchayat polls.

The Cabinet also approved the Telangana Platform-based Gig Workers Act, 2025. There are four lakh platform workers in the State, including three lakh in GHMC limits.

It also decided to print the ‘Jaya Jaya He’ song, penned by late poet Ande Sri, on the first page of all school textbooks. His son Datta Sai will be appointed Assistant Professor in a degree college, and a memorial park will be developed in the poet’s memory.

Announcing that the SRSP Phase II would be named after former Minister Ramireddy Damodar Reddy, the Revenue Minister said industrial lands within the Outer Ring Road would be converted into multi-use zones.

Marking two years of the Congress government on December 9, a global summit will be held on December 8 and 9 at Future City. The Telangana Rising 2047 Vision document will be unveiled on December 9.