HYDERABAD: Telangana is keen on developing a Sanitation Hub and sought Rs 100 crore seed funding from the Central government. In a memorandum submitted to Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri in Delhi on Wednesday, Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao said: “Telangana State has earmarked land and support resources for this initiative. An official announcement of the Telangana Sanitation Innovation Hub could be planned as early as December 2019.”
He also said that there was a significant opportunity to establish a Sanitation (and water) Lighthouse in the country, that provides sanitation services and innovation incubation support to Telangana and the rest of India.“Telangana has been keen on developing such a Sanitation Hub. Administrative Staff College of India has developed a high-level blueprint for a Sanitation Innovation Hub in Telangana. Seed commitment has been made by the Telangana government and we are now on to finalise our strategic plan and also fostering key strategic partnerships. We intend to set up an Urban Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad and the Sanitation Hub will be a part of it,” Rama Rao explained.
“Warangal city is proving to be a leader in Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) and Non-sewer sanitation. We are on the job of transforming Telangana into a hub for sanitation innovation in the country. The Hub will provide tangible health and economic benefits. Over the first five years of operation, it is estimated that the entity will save several lakh of lives. An estimated `20,000 crore in economic growth and 20,000 jobs are expected to be unlocked in the long run. It will be a one of its kind in the country and the region,” he said.
He also sought financial support under Swachh Bharath Mission or support any eligible schemes under solid waste management, especially scientific treatment and disposal of legacy leachate, with a total cost of about `400 crore as proposed by GHMC for better sanitation in Hyderabad.
VGF for HMR
He requested the Centre to release the balance VGF to Hyderabad Metro Rail. Out of the total `1,458 crore VGF grant, `254 crore balance amount had not been released for the last couple of years, which had, in turn, resulted in denial of cash flows of `847 crore, including the proportionate debt component for the project, he said.
‘Hand over Begumpet airport’
KT Rama Rao requested the Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to hand over Begumpet airport to the State government to run training academies there. “Requested for infrastructure belonging to Airports Authority of India at the Begumpet Airport to be handed over to Telangana government to run training academies,” KTR tweeted