Revanth Reddy urges PM Modi to sanction three coal mines for Singareni, revive ITIR

NEW DELHI: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday. They submitted an extensive list of issues concerning the state and urged the Prime Minister to address their demands.

They requested the allotment of coal blocks to Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), a public sector coal mining company in which the Telangana government holds a 51 per cent stake, and the central government holds 49 per cent. They insisted that the Shravanapally coal block, included in the list of coal mines to be auctioned by the Centre, should be allocated to SCCL as per Section 11A / 17(A) (2) of the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act. Additionally, they requested the allocation of Koyagudem Block 3 and Satthupalli Block 3 mines in the Godavari Valley Coal Field to SCCL to meet the state’s electricity needs.

Revanth Reddy highlighted the central government's policy to establish one Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in each state, noting that Telangana has not yet been granted an IIM. He requested the Prime Minister to sanction an IIM for Telangana, offering available land in Hyderabad's Central University campus or an alternative location.

The Chief Minister also urged the revival of the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) Project, sanctioned in 2010 for Hyderabad and Bangalore. He mentioned that the project stalled due to a change in government in 2014 and requested its revival to encourage new IT companies and developers.

Another significant request was establishing an integrated railway coach factory at Kazipet, a promise made during the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. Despite an announcement in July 2023 for a Periodic Overhauling Workshop, Revanth Reddy appealed for a railway coach factory at Kazipet, emphasising its importance for the region.

Revanth Reddy advocated for Telangana's inclusion in the India Semiconductor Mission, citing interest from renowned companies in setting up semiconductor fabs in Hyderabad. He requested that Telangana be given a place in this mission.

He also sought the sanction of 25 lakh houses over the next five years under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), pointing out the inadequate allocation in the first phase due to mismatched guidelines. The Chief Minister expressed the state’s readiness to align its regulations with PMAY guidelines.

The Chief Minister requested the release of Rs 1,800 crore due to Telangana under the Backward Areas Development Fund (BRGF) for 2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24. He mentioned that Rs. 2,250 crore had been allocated to Telangana from 2015 to 2019.

Addressing traffic concerns in Hyderabad, Revanth Reddy proposed the construction of elevated corridors on Hyderabad-Karimnagar Road and Hyderabad-Nagpur National Highway (NH 44). He requested the transfer of lands under the Defence Department to facilitate these constructions. He sought the transfer of 2,450 acres for infrastructure development, offering 2,462 acres leased to the Research Center Emarat (RIC) in Ravirala as compensation.

The Chief Minister demanded the establishment of a steel plant in Khammam district, a promise made under the AP Reorganisation Act. He urged the central government to expedite this project based on feasibility reports already submitted.

Revanth Reddy praised the development of national highways and requested the inclusion of the southern part of the Hyderabad Regional Ring Road in the Bharatmala project. He also appealed for the upgrade of 13 state highways to national highways to meet the growing transport needs.

The Chief Minister also demanded the establishment of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in the 12 newly formed districts of Telangana and requested the Centre grant the state 24 Navodaya Vidyalayas.