Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today urged the Centre to give more funds to Hyderabad and include Karimnagar in the midst of Telangana into its smart city plan.
In a letter addressed to Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, the Chief Minister stated that Hyderabad was the fastest growing and expanding city in India after Mumbai with 625 km area. So, it would not be possible to develop Hyderabad with just Rs 100 crore allocated and the Centre should increase allocation of funds. Being A1 city, Hyderabad was fast growing in economy which needs huge funds to provide safe drinking water, drainage lines, transport, infrastructure and other facilities. Instead of recognizing it as a smart city, the Centre should give smart city status to Karimnagar and identify Hyderabad as a city for global recognition, economic development and specialties and future requirements.
With Rs 5,500 crore annual budget, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation could not deliver services to its people and Rs 100 crore from the Centre will be of no great help, he noted. He stated that the State government needs Rs 20,661 crore more funds for development roads and junctions, to build signal-free corridors under Strategic Road Development Project and to build bridges.
According to Ahluwalia Committee Report in 2011, Hyderabad needs a whopping Rs 30,370 crore investments in various sectors, including Rs 1264 crore for maintenance expenditure, Rs 15,000 crore for drinking water and sewage lines and maintenance, to provide better facilities, infrastructure and connectivity, he mentioned. (NSS)