Proactive decisions by the K. Chandrasekhar Rao-led Telangana government have helped the State become a trailblazer in multiple domains, and showcase significant improvement in infrastructure and human development indices. The achievement is creditable as it comes in the face of alleged “non-cooperation” by the Central government.
Several assurances given to Telangana, including those in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, remain unfulfilled as the State enters its 10th year. Plans of setting up of an Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) have been shelved while national project status for Kaleshwaram project has remained elusive. The State has good reason to be critical of the Centre as its flagship projects Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya did not receive any Central assistance in spite of NITI Aayog, the highest planning body, making recommendations in this regard.
The NITI Aayog recommended special grant of ₹19,000 crore for Mission Bhagiratha, appreciating the intent of supplying safe drinking water to every household, and another ₹5,205 crore to Mission Kakatiya, which is aimed at rejuvenating water bodies. Both the recommendations were set aside by the Centre.
The Union government dilly-dallied on the ITIR assured in the Reorganisation Act for some years though the process for preparing a detailed project report was initiated. It finally said the project has been shelved owing to the fast-paced development of required infrastructure through different modes.
The State’s request for granting an IIIT in Karimnagar went unheeded as also was the request for handing over part of defence lands on the city outskirts for constructing skyways to ease traffic on the busy national highway. The assurance of enhancing Assembly seats from the existing 119 to 153 given in the Reorganisation Act has remained only on paper till date.
Several representations made to the Central government urging it to keep the promises it made to the new State went in vain even as the Centre imposed restrictions on the borrowing limits since last financial year. The State described the Centre’s decision to impose restrictions on the market borrowings and other instruments in the name of financial management as “unilateral”. Officials contend that the Centre’s decision comes at a time when the fledgling State is making rapid strides in different sectors as the amounts borrowed were spent on creation of capital assets.
If this was the case with the Centre, the State has developed a rift with the institution of the Governor as the latter did not give her consent for the Bills passed by the two houses of legislature. The Chief Minister enjoyed highly cordial terms with the institution of the Governor when E.S.L. Narasimhan occupied office. The rift, which started during Mr.Rao’s second term, resulted in widening the gap between the State government and the Governor’s office. The government was forced to approach the Supreme Court to direct the Governor to clear important Bills passed by the legislature following which Tamilisai Soundararajan returned a couple of them and a few others are still pending her consent.
