HYDERABAD: Asserting that neither he nor the BJP-led Union government had ever acted against the interests of Telangana, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday countered Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s allegations by stating that Metro proposals would be assessed on technical and financial parameters, as was done in other cities, and would not be influenced by individual opinions.
Referring to the Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) loan issue, Kishan said the Telangana government had entered into an agreement for `13,500 crore and that the matter was primarily between the two parties. He said he had discussed the issue with Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday morning and informed him about the chief minister’s allegations regarding the halting of the loan. According to Kishan, Khattar told him that there was a difference of opinion over the loan repayment conditions.
According to Kishan, the Centre’s view was that Metro revenues should first be utilised for operational and maintenance expenditure, while the state prioritised loan repayments. He said metro projects generally prioritise operational and maintenance expenditure before loan repayments and argued that financial sustainability should remain the primary consideration. He stressed that the matter required further discussions and should not be politicised.
On Metro Phase-II, he said the chief minister had met Khattar several times and that certain modifications had been suggested. He maintained that such issues should be resolved through discussions between the Centre and the state government rather than through public accusations.
We don’t need Revanth’s certificate on our commitment to TG: Kishan
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, Union Minister Kishan Reddy said he had worked for the last seven years with the sole objective of advancing Telangana’s interests and ensuring the successful implementation of development projects in the state.
He said the Centre had, in principle, agreed to move forward with Metro Phase-II on a 50:50 funding basis. He stated that Khattar had conveyed this position during separate meetings with him and the chief minister.
The Union minister noted that the Centre had already contributed Rs 1,250 crore towards Metro Phase-I and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally inaugurated the project. He emphasised that, as with metro projects in other cities, the Hyderabad Metro proposal would be examined on technical and financial grounds and that no project would be stalled based on an individual’s opinion.
Kishan said neither he, the prime minister, nor the Centre required certificates from the Congress or Revanth regarding their commitment to Telangana. Rejecting the chief minister’s allegation that he had lobbied against the release of funds to Telangana, Kishan said details of every meeting he held with Union Ministers had been made public through the media and social media platforms.
Inviting Revanth for a joint meeting with Khattar, Kishan said he was ready to participate in discussions at any time. He alleged that both former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao and the present state government had failed to cooperate in the land acquisition process required for development works at Secunderabad, Nampally and Charlapalli railway stations.
The Union minister said that despite a lack of cooperation from the previous BRS government, the Centre had completed MMTS Phase-II with Central funding. He added that the Centre extends support to all states regardless of whether they are governed by the BJP, Congress or DMK.
Accusing Revanth of indulging in “cheap politics,” Kishan said the BJP-led government remains committed to Telangana’s development. He pointed out that the Centre had recently extended interest-free loans worth Rs 11,000 crore to the state for a period of 50 years and facilitated a Rs 4,100 crore loan from the Asian Development Bank for the Musi River rejuvenation project.
He further stated that loans worth nearly Rs 1 lakh crore had been extended through the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) over the last 12 years and that Rs 34,000 crore had been provided this year for paddy procurement.
He maintained that issues related to Metro Phase-II, financial feasibility, technical viability, loan arrangements and NOCs should be settled through dialogue and mutual understanding.
