HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy arrived in New Delhi on Sunday night, with two key issues involving public sector entities expected to dominate his discussions with Union ministers — the SBI land dispute in Raidurg and the delay in disbursal of a major loan by the Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC).
After attending the wedding of NCP MP Supriya Sule’s daughter in Mumbai, the chief minister travelled to the national capital and is expected to meet Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman (Finance) and Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways). State government officials have sought appointments with the Union ministers, said sources.
The state government is currently locked in a dispute with the State Bank of India (SBI), which has challenged the proposed auction of a 5.09-acre land parcel in Raidurg, claiming ownership over the property. The state has decided to take a firm stand on the issue and is considering raising the matter with both the Centre and the Reserve Bank of India. Revanth is expected to discuss the issue with Sitharaman during his visit.
The second issue concerns the IRFC’s delay in disbursing a Rs 13,600-crore loan for the state’s proposed takeover of Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-I from L&T. Although an agreement has already been signed, the loan amount is yet to be released.
Government sources said the loan is crucial for completing the Metro takeover and initiating Phase-II works. The delay in disbursal has effectively stalled the takeover process, prompting the state government to take serious note of the matter.
Revanth has recently stepped up his criticism of the Centre over the issue, particularly targeting Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy. He accused the senior BJP leader of failing to facilitate the release of the loan. However, two days ago, the chief minister also wrote to him seeking a meeting with the Union railway minister to discuss the matter.
Officials said resolving the SBI dispute and securing the Metro loan are the primary objectives of the chief minister’s Delhi visit.