The TRS government has urged the Centre to redefine the definition of poverty afresh in the context of newly-created Telangana State.
Panchayat Raj and IT Minister KT Rama Rao made this request to Union Rural Development Minister Birendra Singh in Delhi on Tuesday. According to Rama Rao, the indicators to define poverty was fixed during the combined AP.
However, after the division of the State, Telangana has more number of poor and wanted the Centre to calculate the percentage of the poor in Telangana.
This would help Telangana State get more funds from the Centre under social security pensions. The State was getting pensions to only 16 lakh peopel in the State from the Centre. Once, poverty is redefined, Telangana would get more funds, Rama Rao said.
Rama Rao spent a busy day in Delhi meeting several Union Ministers on getting financial assistance for various programmes being implemented in Telangana State.
Rama Rao called on Birendar Singh and requested him to support the prestigious Water Grid project. Rao invited Singh to visit Telangana soon.
Rao also called on Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and requested him to upgrade ESI dispensary in Karimnagar into a 200-bedded hospital for the benefit for the beedi workers in Karimnagar district.
Rama Rao also called on Union Textile Minister Gangwar and requested him to sanction a mega powerloom cluster at Siricilla in Karimnagar district and a mega handloom cluster either in Dubbak in Medak district or in Pochampalli in Nalgonda district.
Rao also urged the Centre to release pending funds under Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) to six districts of Telangana. Earlier, all the nine districts, excluding Hyderabad, were included in BRGF scheme. But, now the Centre approved only three districts under BRGF. Rao urged the Centre to continue BRGF to all nine districts in the State.
Rao also called on Union Science and Technology Minister Sujana Chowdary with a request to support for Science City project at Budwel. Rao wanted Centre’s help for the proposed technology incubators in TS.
Busy day in Delhi
- KTR makes request to Union Rural Development Minister Birendra Singh
- Says indicators to define poverty was fixed during combined Andhra Pradesh
- Asserts Telangana will get more funds once poverty is redefined
- Meets several Union Ministers and seeks funds for various projects
Source: The New Indian Express