HYDERABAD: In order to make Hyderabad pollution-free, the state government will replace all diesel vehicles with electric ones.
Speaking at the Telangana Builders Green Summit in Hyderabad on Saturday, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said that the government will reduce registration charges for electric vehicles to encourage their usage, even though it would result in a shortfall in revenue for the state exchequer.
The deputy CM said that, the health of people living in Hyderabad is more important than revenue. “By signing the Net Zero City agreement, Hyderabad is sending a message to the world. Everyone around the world is keenly observing how Telangana will develop and what decisions and policies the state government is taking. Several policy decisions are being made to transform Hyderabad into a green city. Citizens of Delhi have been facing several problems due to pollution. At one point, the problem became so severe that people even migrated out of the capital city. The Telangana government is taking various measures to prevent such a situation in Hyderabad,” the minister said.
Referring to the Musi River Rejuvenation Project as a milestone in the state’s history, Bhatti said that people had been struggling to live on the banks of the Musi amidst increasing pollution over the last decade. The Congress government is committed to transforming the Musi into a freshwater river and turning it into a gift for Hyderabad. The project will make Hyderabad a marvelous city, he said.
The deputy chief minister stated that the state government considers builders and real estate developers as respected citizens since they are wealth creators and partners in the state’s development.
He assured them of the state government’s full cooperation. “If anyone spreads false propaganda to create problems for builders and developers, stern action will be taken against them,” he warned. “The state government will extend full cooperation to builders, as they are essential to the state’s development. Hyderabad is like heaven for builders,” he added.
The deputy chief minister further stated, “An amount of Rs 10,000 crore has been allocated in the budget for the development of Hyderabad, bringing it on par with cities that are on the fast track of development in developed countries. Never before has such a huge budget been allocated for Hyderabad. This decision has catapulted Hyderabad to a prominent position.”
He added that the state government is pursuing its new energy policy for the generation of 20,000 MW of green power by 2029-30. “It will be scaled up to 40,000 MW by 2035,” he said.