TS Proposing Funding Assistance from Central for Municipal Projects

K.T. Rama Rao, Minister of Municipal Administration and Urban Development of Telangana, requested the Centre to allocate the funds in the 2021-22 Union Budget for Multiple municipal projects in the state.

Government Seeks Budgetary Allocation for City Infrastructure

KTR has submitted letters to Hardip Singh Puri, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Finance, seeking funds for the Strategic Nala Development Plan (SNDP), the development of a sewer network system for the collection of liquid waste in the Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration (HUA) area, the Warangal Metro Net Project, and solid waste management in urban local bodies in Telangana.

The government has implemented a Comprehensive Sewerage Master Plan (CSMP) to improve the sewer network infrastructure for liquid waste collection in the HUA area, and has already conducted a thorough analysis of planning, survey, design, estimates and prepared a detailed project report.

The CSMP is prioritised in accordance with the guidelines of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to reduce sewage pollution in the stretches of Musi river and water bodies in HUA. The sewage system network is planned for a total length of 2,232 km, consisting of the link network, sub mains and trunk sewers to the STPs at a total cost of Rs 3,722 crore would take up to 36 months for the government to complete the works. 

For the overall project cost of Rs 3,722 crore, KTR requested a sanction of 20 percent of the project cost, which would be Rs 750 crore. The Minister pointed out the problem in the natural flow of water due to the narrowing of nalas and stormwater drains over the years in Hyderabad, considering the city's recent flood situation and its after-effects.

The government has set up the Strategic Nala Development Plan (SNDP), a dedicated project led by the GHMC, to plan and establish a comprehensive stormwater drainage network in Hyderabad, as a permanent solution to the issue. Although the expense of the SNDP is Rs 1,200 crore, he urged project funds of Rs 240 crore.

Planned Development Activities 

Highlighting that the government of Telangana is at the forefront of introducing citizen-centric reforms, Minister stated tenders for bio-mining solid waste in the state's ULBs were finalised at an approximate cost of Rs 258 crore for 2021-22. Tenders were also concluded for bio-mining and remediation of 70 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste in ULBs in the state with an approximate cost of Rs 520 crore.

Work on installing the Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) has begun at 71 ULBs and work has already been completed at 5 ULBs. The state spends Rs 250 crore for the works. With an estimated cost of Rs 13, 238 crores, DPRs for underground drainage and waste treatment have been planned for 57 ULBs in the state. In the first stage, at the cost of Rs 2,828 crore, work will be taken up in around 30 ULBs.

The state government plans to focus on multiple projects during FY 2021-22 with around Rs 3,777 crore. Since these are major infrastructure works, the Government of India is expected to share 20% of these expenditures and to include Rs 750 crore in the 2021-22 budget.

By: Shailaja K