Can Telangana Government Prompt Rajnath Singh to Accelerate Defence Land Transfers?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The Telangana government is pushing for the transfer of defence lands for public use.
- Minister Ponnam Prabhakar met with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for this purpose.
- Outstanding dues of Rs 1,000 crore are pending from the Cantonment to Telangana.
- The government is also seeking elections for the Secunderabad Cantonment Board.
- The Gandhi Sarovar Project is a key initiative for urban development.
Hyderabad, Oct 3 (NationPress) The Telangana government has formally requested Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to accelerate the transfer of specific defence lands for the benefit of the public.
On Friday, In-charge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar met with the Defence Minister upon his arrival to attend a local event.
The state minister presented a memorandum to Rajnath Singh. He expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Defence for agreeing to allocate certain defence lands in Hyderabad for essential public initiatives and urged Rajnath Singh to hasten the process of transferring these lands.
Ponnam Prabhakar emphasized that these land parcels are vital for advancing ongoing infrastructure and mobility projects that significantly contribute to the city's development and enhance public convenience.
The minister also highlighted that around Rs 1,000 crore in user charge dues is outstanding from the Cantonment to the Telangana government.
"Timely resolution of these dues will greatly assist the state's efforts in maintaining and improving public infrastructure and service delivery in areas overlapping with defence jurisdictions," the memorandum states.
Additionally, the state government has urged the Defence Minister to take necessary measures to facilitate elections for the Secunderabad Cantonment Board.
Minister Ponnam Prabhakar conveyed to Rajnath Singh that elections have not occurred for several years, and for the sake of democratic governance and local representation, it is crucial to conduct these elections promptly.
Last month, during a meeting in Delhi, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had asked the Defence Minister to transfer 98.20 acres of defence land in Hyderabad for the prestigious Gandhi Sarovar Project.
During the discussion, the Chief Minister informed the Defence Minister of the state's vision to create the Gandhi Circle of Unity at the intersection of the Musi and Esa rivers.
CM Revanth Reddy highlighted that the Gandhi Sarovar Project will serve as a lasting symbol of national unity and the timeless principles of Mahatma Gandhi.