Telangana CM seeks Modi's nod for enhanced quota
Hyderabad, Aug 4 : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and sought the President's assent for a bill, enhancing quantum of reservation for BCs, SCs and STs.
In his second meeting with Modi in less than two months, Rao discussed various pending issues relating to the state.
He sought the President's assent to the bill for increasing quantum of reservation in educational institutions and government jobs for backward classes, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
The bill passed by the state legislature last year was sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs for President's assent.
According to a statement from the Chief Minister's office here, during the hour-long meeting Rao discussed 11 issues and submitted letters pertaining to them.
KCR, as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief is popularly known, told the prime minister that the need to increase the percentage of reservations for SCs, STs and BCs arose as the proportion of the population of these sections increased consequent to the formation of Telangana State.
Under the bill passed by the state legislature, quota for STs was increased to 10 per cent from the existing 6 per cent, while that for BC-E category (the backward sections among the Muslim community) increased to 12 per cent from the existing 4 per cent. The total reservations in the state, consequently, will go up to 62 per cent from the existing 50 per cent.
KCR brought to Modi's notice that while capping the total quantum of reservations at 50 per cent, the Supreme Court had also clarified that, if it should exceed 50 per cent, the State shall make out a case showing compelling circumstances for exceeding the limit. He pointed out that Tamil Nadu is providing 69% reservation in the State.
The TRS chief also sought the Centre's approval for new zonal system in Telangana pertaining to the government employment in the state. He called for immediate steps to amend the Presidential Order of 1975 to facilitate implementation of the new zonal system created keeping in view the requirements of the new state.
As the issue of separate High Court is pending since creation of Telangana in 2014, KCR urged the prime minister to expedite the process. He sought immediate steps for establishing a high court in residuary state of Andhra Pradesh so that the High Court at Hyderabad exclusively caters to the needs of Telangana.
KCR reiterated the demand for central grant of Rs 20,000 crores for Kaleshwaram Project being built on Godavari river. He said on completion, it would be the life line of Telangana as it is designed to irrigate 18 lakh acres. The total cost of the project if Rs 80,000 crore.
Early completion of pending railway projects, transfer of defence land in Secunderabad for construction of new Secretariat building, funds for development of backward areas, establishment of Indian Institute of Management (IIM), sanctioning Indian Institute of Information Technology at Karimnagar, and funds to develop the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) in Hyderabad as per the already approved scheme were the other key issues taken up by KCR.
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Govt floats tender for new Shivaji Maharaj statue in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg
Mumbai (PTI): In the wake of collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg, the Maharashtra government has issued a tender for the construction of a new 60-foot-tall statue there, nearly twice the size of the previous one, officials said on Wednesday.
The statue will be built at a cost of Rs 20 crore and the government has set a six-month timeframe for the completion of the work, they said.
A 35-foot-tall statue of the 17th century Maratha empire founder, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg district on December 4 (Navy Day) last year, collapsed on August 26 amid strong winds.
The statue's sculptor, Jaydeep Apte, was later arrested.
The government has faced flak as the opposition parties alleged the decision to install the statue in Sindhudurg was taken haphazardly, which resulted in poor quality of work.
Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) had flagged concerns over rust gathering on Shivaji Maharaj’s statue and suggested permanent measures in a letter sent to a Naval official just six days before the structure collapsed.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had said the statue was designed and constructed by the Indian Navy.
He claimed winds were blowing at 45 km per hour when the statue collapsed.
A tender has been issued for the construction of a new statue and its height would be 60 feet, a PWD official said.
"The total cost would now be Rs 20 crore, including its engineering, installation and maintenance. The government has given six months to complete the work. The height of the statue would be 60 feet," the official said.
