Minister refutes TRS President's allegations on development

Hyderabad, Mar 18 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Rural Development Minister G Chinna Reddy today refuted the allegations of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President K Chandrasekhara Rao that the State Government had neglected the development of the backward Mahaboobnagar district in the Telangana region.

Addressing a press conference here, he claimed that Mahaboobnagar, which was neglected by the previous TDP regime, had developed manifold during the last four years as the Government had laid special focus on it to remove its backwardness.

He said the Government had launched the Bheema, Kalwakurti, Nettempadu and Koilasagar lift irrigation schemes with a view to providing irrigated water to ten lakh acres in the district. Work on all these projects would be completed within an year.

Mr Reddy said the Government had been providing free power supply for seven hours to 1.60 lakh agricultural pumpsets by spending Rs 25 crore every year in Mahaboobnagar district alone and waived off electricity arrears of farmers to the tune of Rs 168 crore.

He said the State Government had launched the long-pending project of Rajolubanda Diversion Scheme to utilise 16 TMC water and sanctioned Rs 92 crore for its modernisation.

Mr Reddy said that due to various welfare schemes like implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, initiated by the Government in the district, migration of people from the district had drastically come down.

The Minister also refuted the TRS' charge that he was against Telangana, stating that he was committed to the formation of Telangana, but did not want to comment on the issue since the matter was pending before the Congress High Command. He expressed hope that AICC President Sonia Gandhi would take a positive decision on Telangana.

He alleged that the TRS President and its leaders were making allegations against the Congress Government and leaders without verifying facts.

UNI BR VA LS AS1728