HYDERABAD: Early Assembly polls is one step closer to becoming a reality as decks have been cleared for a new zonal system. Following this, the State government is planning to announce a massive recruitment drive before dissolving the Assembly. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s two-day tour to Delhi can be called a success as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cleared files pertaining to the new zonal system and has forwarded it to the President.
Once President Ram Nath Kovind gives his assent, which is likely to happen this week, TRS government may announce a massive recruitment drive to fill up a whopping 9,000 vacancies for village panchayat secretaries. The Pragathi Nivedana meeting on September 2 is likely to be the stage for this. On the second day of his visit to Delhi, Rao met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and thanked him for processing the State Zonal Bill this fast. Rao also had one-on-one meeting with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
“Discussions regarding early polls is going on. The Cabinet may dissolve the Assembly, but Election Commission has to decide when the polls are to be held,” said Vinod Kumar, who accompanied Rao to meet Rajnath Singh. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister submitted three separate letters to the Union Finance Minister on Sunday. As Jaitley was recovering from the illness, no other TRS leader, except the Chief Minister, was allowed to meet the Union Minister.
Rao requested Jaitley to release the fourth instalment of Rs 450 crore to the State’s backward districts. “The Niti Aayog had addressed the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, recommending for the release of Rs 450 crore to the State,” Rao, in his letter, told Jaitley. In another letter, he requested Jaitley to allow the State to avail the additional fiscal space of 0.5 per cent of the GSDP.
According to officials, the State’s GSDP is around Rs 8 lakh crore and 0.5 per cent additional fiscal space would allow TS raise Rs 4,000 crore more loans in 2018-19. In another letter, Rao wanted the Union Finance Minister to release the pending interest amounts to be paid to around 4 lakh women self help groups in the state. The amount due from the Centre was Rs 339.25 crore for Nizamabad, Nalgonda, Medak and Rangareddy districts. The interest dues from the Centre under National Rural Livelihood Mission were Rs 102.86 crore in 2014-15, Rs 87.15 crore for 2015-16, Rs 53.04 crore for 2016-17 and Rs 96.20 crore for 2017-18.
Why is Cong jittery: KTR
Wondering why Congress was jittery even if the State went to early polls, IT minister KT Rama Rao on Sunday said TRS has won the hearts of people and would seek people’s blessings once again based on development work. “From being the best agitators to best administrators, the State under leadership of K Chandrasekhar Rao has given the best administration in last four-and-half years. In next five years, we will move further ahead on all fronts,’’ he said.
Process of bifurcating Hyd High Court will be expedited: Rajnath
Union Home minister Rajnath Singh has assured Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that the process of bifurcating the Hyderabad High Court will be expedited. “We have filed a petition in Supreme Court for bifurcation of the combined High Court. The petition will come up for hearing this week,” Singh told Rao in Delhi P5