Telangana CM, deputy meet PM Modi; discuss pending bifurcation issues

NEW DELHI: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his deputy Bhatti Vikramarka on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here and requested him to expedite pending projects in the state.

In the 30-minute meeting held at the Prime Minister’s official residence here, the two Congress leaders also stressed on the need to clear pending central grants to the “debt-ridden” state.

This was Reddy’s first meeting with PM Modi after becoming the chief minister.

Deputy CM Vikramarka said the 10-year rule of BRS has turned Telangana into a debt-ridden state and requested Modi to address the pending bifurcation issues at the earliest so that the state can fulfil the people’s aspirations and flourish.

Sharing the long pending issues, Vikramarka said even special assistance to be given to the state under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act for backward areas is still pending.

The 15th Finance Commission grants to the tune of Rs 2,233.54 crore are also pending including Rs 129.69 crore for the 2022-23 fiscal and Rs 1,608.85 crore for 2023-24, he said. In the meeting, the deputy CM said that “approval for upgradation of 12 highway projects are pending with NHAI and requested PM Modi to expedite the same”.