Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought inclusion of a huge financial assistance for Telangana in the coming Union budget.
Among issues that he raised at the one-on-one meeting with Mr. Modi that lasted 40 minutes, Mr. Rao was said to have requested Rs 70,000 crore for the redesigned Pranahita-Chevella project and giving it a national status. The project underwent changes in its design and has now been rechristened as Kaleswaram project, it was informed.
Mr. Rao also sought a package of Rs 30,000 crore for overall development of Telangana "as a new born baby." For eight of the ten districts in the State, which were identified as backward by the Planning Commission, Mr. Rao wanted Rs 1,000 crore on the basis of a commitment in the State Reorganisation Act. He wanted that each of the eight districts be allotted Rs 50 crore and since the release was pending for the last two years, the Centre may round off the sanction to Rs 1,000 crore.
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Sources said the Chief Minister brought to the notice of Mr. Modi that the State government had sent proposals for drought assistance of Rs 3,000 crore but got only Rs 791 crore. Hence, the balance amount he released forthwith to speed up drought relief works.
Mr. Rao requested Mr. Modi to announce a tribal university for Telangana in the budget and accord it the status of Central university. He wanted that at least 30 more IPS officers be allotted to the State cadre whose present strength is only 112. He also raised the need for immediate bifurcation of the High Court.