In another key decision, the cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, decided to recognise the over-43,000 employees of the state-run Road Transport Corporation (RTC) as government staff. Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, State Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao said it has been decided to expand metro rail on a large scale to strengthen public transport in Hyderabad.
Recalling that the CM had already laid the foundation stone for metro rail between Raidurgam to the airport, he said the metro rail expansion would take place on many routes that connect Hyderabad to its outskirts in various directions. “Altogether, the cabinet approved expansion of metro rail with Rs 60,000 crores in addition to the 101 kms taken up earlier. The CM directed our municipal department to complete this project in the coming three-four years,” he said.
He said the CM has asked the metro rail authorities and the municipal department to submit detailed proposals soon. He said the state government hoped that the Centre would extend help in implementing the project like it did for other cities. But the state government itself will take up the project if the Centre does not help, he added.
“We hope they (NDA government at the Centre) will cooperate with us. If this government does not help us, a coalition government would come anyway after 2024. The role of BRS would be crucial in that. We are confident that we will achieve it there,” he said. Rama Rao, son of Chandrasekhar Rao, said the cabinet decided to urge the Centre to allow civil aviation services from the Hakimpet Air Force station in Hyderabad to meet the growing needs of the state capital. The state government feels that Hyderabad should have a second airport in view of the city’s growth, he said.
Noting that defence airports in cities like Goa and Pune are also used for civil aviation, he said the state government would have no objection if defence authorities control and run the Hakimpet airport after civil aviation services are started. Alleging that the Airports Authority of India delayed the establishment of Warangal-Mamnoor airport, he said the cabinet decided to allot additional land (about 250 acres) for the purpose as sought. Rama Rao said the CM directed the finance department to release immediate assistance of Rs 500 crore to carry out immediate repairs to roads, tanks and others damaged due to the recent heavy rains. Speaking about the more than 40 people who lost their lives in the recent rains, he said the government has decided to extend ex-gratia to their kin after collecting their details. The Municipal Administration Minister also said the district Collectors have been asked to submit reports on the damage caused by the rains to agricultural fields. In another decision, the government also decided to pass the bills returned by Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan again in the assembly, he said. With regard to employees of RTC, the cabinet decided to appoint a sub-committee of officials on the modalities of recognising them as government employees.
In other important decisions, the cabinet decided to prepare an ‘orphan policy’ which treats orphans as “children of the state” and puts the responsibility of taking care of them on the government, Rama Rao said. The cabinet also decided to nominate BRS leader Sravan Dasoju, who hails from the backward classes, and former MLA Kurra Satyanarayana who belongs to the minority community of ‘Erukala’ among the STs as MLC candidates under the Governor quota, he added.
