Telangana to join VB-GRAM G under ‘unavoidable circumstances’

The State government has decided to join the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Grameen under “unavoidable circumstances”. The government has, however, resolved to take legal course on the issue to protect the State’s rights which can be affected with the “unilateral decision” of the Centre to implement the rural employment guarantee scheme. The State Cabinet met here on Thursday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and held elaborate discussions on the report submitted by the Cabinet sub-committee headed by Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy.

The report detailed about the pros and cons of the new law that replaced the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act introduced by the Congress government in 2006 and the Cabinet discussed about the options available to the State. It was decided to join the scheme but take legal recourse as the Centre had not considered several representations made by the State government.

“We will approach the Supreme Court to protect the State’s rights. Other States are also gearing up for legal battles against the Act,” Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said.

He alleged that the Central government was trying to usurp the rights of the poor and working class in the form of the new legislation. The Telangana State Legislature, which met in January this year, passed a resolution against the new rural employment guarantee act and sought several amendments including retaining the name of Mahatma Gandhi to the scheme. “But the Centre did not consider any of the several demands made by the State government seeking amendments to the new legislation,” he said recalling the UPA government headed by the Congress had introduced the NREGA after obtaining the consent of all the States.

Musi rejuvenation

The Cabinet had discussed the Musi rejuvenation project and gave its consent for the first phase of the Gandhi Sarovar project with an estimated ₹7,345 crore. Tenders for the first phase involving development over 21 kms would be invited shortly. The Cabinet had resolved to entrust development of roads along the two banks of the river to the departments concerned so that they would facilitate faster travel for the people.

The State Cabinet had discussed the implementation of scheme providing for breakfast, lunch and milk to students in educational institutions. It was decided to extend the facility to teaching and non-teaching staff in these institutions. The State Cabinet gave its consent for filling up 6,278 posts in different categories in the Telangana Institutes of Medical Sciences (TIMS) as well as the superspeciality hospital at Warangal. The hospitals would accept the LoCs issued by the government under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The Cabinet gave its consent for land allocation to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and for construction of godowns at Warangal, Kadthal and other places.