TRS MLAs stage dharna before Panchayatraj Minister's chamber

Hyderabad, Dec 18 (UNI) Telangana Rastra Samithi(TRS) MLAs today resorted to a sit-in dharna in front of the State Panchayat Raj Minister chamber in the assembly, protesting against the alleged inadequate allocation of NABARD funds for the Telangana region.

Led by TRS Floor leader Vijaya Rama Rao and Nayani Narasimha Rao, the legislators, after tea break in the assembly, staged the dharna for 15 minutes.

After the dharna, TRS leaders told newspersons that of the Rs 91 crore NABARD funds, the Panchayati Raj department had spent only Rs 20 crore in the Telangana region and the remaining Rs 71 crore was utilised for Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.

Countering TRS leaders charge, Panchayat Raj Minister J C Diwakar Reddy said the government had spent the funds as per priority in the areas. In fact, it had spent more funds for the Telangna region, including for setting up major and minor irrigation projects than Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, he claimed.

Asserting that the Government was according more importance for the development of the Telangna region, he alleged that the TRS leaders with resorting to dharna only to derive ''political mileage.'' UNI BR ROY VD ND1726