Hyderabad, Aug.9 (NSS): In a significant move for the development of the Old City of Hyderabad, Civil Supplies & Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that the Congress Government was committed to eradicating unemployment in the area by revitalising the Society for Employment Promotion & Training in Twin Cities (SETWIN) and other institutions. Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha, participated in N Giridhar Reddy’s swearing-in ceremony as Chairman of SETWIN.
Speaking to media persons, Uttam Kumar Reddy and Damodar Raja Narasimha stated that the Congress government was determined to fulfil its promise of transforming the Old City into a developed and prosperous region. “Revitalising SETWIN and skill development training, as well as transforming the Quli Qutub Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA) to enhance infrastructure in the Old City, were among the major promises made in the Minority Declaration released by the Congress party in the last Assembly elections,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said. He pointed out that the unemployment rate in the Old City of Hyderabad stood at an alarming 21%, with rates soaring to 45% among those aged 20 to 24.
Uttam Kumar Reddy noted that SETWIN was established on August 15, 1978, under the patronage of Chief Minister Dr Marri Channa Reddy as Chairman and IAS officer Khader Ali Khan as Managing Director. However, the institution remained neglected during the TDP and BRS rule. Uttam Kumar Reddy criticised the previous BRS regime for neglecting the Old City, saying that former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, also Chairman of SETWIN, never held a single meeting to review its functioning. Moreover, he added that KCR did not visit the Old City even once during his ten-year tenure.
Uttam emphasised that SETWIN had made significant contributions to promoting skills among the Old City’s youth. However, its progress had been hampered by neglect during the TDP and BRS regimes. He outlined that SETWIN’s goals included preventing school and college dropouts, making youth self-reliant, and generating employment opportunities for educated unemployed youth, women, and physically handicapped individuals from minority communities.
Uttam Kumar Reddy assured that the Congress Government’s new focus aimed to reverse this trend by revitalising SETWIN as part of a comprehensive development plan for Hyderabad. He highlighted that the Congress Government had allocated a historic Rs 10,000 crore for Hyderabad’s development in the 2024-25 State budget, including Rs 1,525 crore for the Regional Ring Road, Rs 3,065 crore for the GHMC, and Rs 1,500 crore for the Musi Riverfront development project. Additionally, funds were allocated for extending the Metro to the airport (Rs 100 crore), the ORR (Rs 200 crore), Metro Rail in Old City (Rs 500 crore), and MMTS (Rs 50 crore). He stated that these funds would certainly strengthen all institutions in the city, including SETWIN and QQSUDA.
