Pranahita Revival Tops Cabinet Meet Agenda

Hyderabad: From revival of Pranahitha-Chevella scheme to employee welfare measures and infrastructure expansion, the Cabinet meeting to be chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday has a wide-ranging agenda. Reviving the Pranahita-Chevella project and initiating talks with the Maharashtra government for the construction of the Tummidihatti dam – an increase from the 148 meters agreed upon during the previous BRS regime – to 150 meters are among the major issues that need to be addressed.

The cabinet is expected to deliberate on an action plan to clear the pending dues of employees and retired staff within 100 days, besides discussing the new Pay Revision Commission (PRC) scales, pending Severance Allowance (DA) dues, health schemes and payment of pending bills.

There are also likely to be discussions on placement of PRC among TGSRTC employees and merger of RTC with the state government.

The focus will be on accelerating the expansion of Hyderabad Metro Rail after the state government took over Metro Rail Phase-I operations from L&T on April 30. The aim of the move is to facilitate Phase-II expansion and integrate operations between the two phases.

The government plans to ground work on Metro Rail Phase II (Part A and Part B) in the next six months and ensure significant construction progress during the remaining two-and-a-half-year tenure of the Congress government. The expansion will require approval from the Union government as it is proposed as a joint venture between the Center and the state.

Irrigation projects will feature prominently with discussions on the future, technical aspects and necessary changes in the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS). The cabinet is also expected to hold discussions on the construction of Tummidihatti dam as part of the Pranahita-Chevella project and make suggestions to divert water from Tummidihatti to Sripada Yellampalli. Four possible routes for this diversion are being evaluated and a final decision can be made.

The meeting is also expected to review steps to address the issues and pending demands of employees and retirees, including reviewing a working committee’s report on payment of dues within 100 days and merging RTC employees with the government. Welfare measures such as approval of new Aasara pensions, implementation of Indiramma insurance scheme and schemes based on committee recommendations for Telangana state movement activists are also expected to be discussed.

In addition, the Cabinet may also take up issues related to Godavari Pushkaralu 2027, Census, expansion of cashless medical treatment schemes for employees, construction of double-bedroom houses.