Hyderabad, Nov.25 (RAHNUMA): The State government has made the decision to integrate all municipalities and corporations located within the Hyderabad Telangana Core Urban Area into the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy took place at the Secretariat on Tuesday, during which several important resolutions were made for the state’s progress.
The Cabinet has sanctioned the merger of 27 urban local bodies, including municipalities and corporations situated both within and outside the Outer Ring Road, into the GHMC. To facilitate this merger, the Cabinet has also approved the necessary amendments to both the GHMC Act and the Telangana Municipal Act.
Additionally, the Cabinet granted approval for the creation of a third electricity distribution company (DISCOM), which will join the two current DISCOMs in the state, namely NPDCL and SPDCL.
All the agricultural connections, lift irrigation schemes, Mission Bhagiratha, safe and drinking water schemes, and Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board power connections in Telangana will come under the purview of the new DISCOM.
The cabinet discussed in detail the increasing power demand in the state, the power supply required for the next 10 years, and the power generation estimates. It examined the power point presentation presented in detail by the officials of the power department.
As per the regulations brought by the central government to increase the use of renewable energy, the Cabinet has decided to increase the use of renewable energy in Telangana. As part of this, it has been decided to invite tenders for the purchase of 3000 mega watts of solar power as soon as possible.
The Cabinet decided to invite these tenders with time-limited power supply agreements for a period of five years.
Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, Ministers Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Jupally Krishna Rao, Uttam Kumar Reddy, Vakiti Srihari and Adluri Laxman Kumar briefed the media after the Cabinet meeting.
Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka said pumped storage power consumption needs to be increased in line with solar power and the government has been decided to invite tenders for the purchase of 2,000 MW of pumped storage power.
The cabinet has decided to invite these tenders with a time limit of five years
“There are suitable areas in many places in the state for setting up pumped storage power plants. The cabinet has approved granting permission to companies and investors who come forward to set up pumped storage power plants. It has also decided to examine the MoUs already in place with the DISCOMs,” he said.
The cabinet has decided to give permission to set up 10,000 MW of pumped storage power generation plants in the state.
The government itself will allocate the necessary land and provide water to the companies that show interest in setting up these plants. The government will enter into an agreement with the condition that the electricity generated in these plants will be sold to our DISCOMs first, Bhatti Vikramarka said.
The state cabinet has taken another crucial decision as part of the Clean and Green Energy Policy to attract new industries and investments to the state.
Sridhar Babu said the newly established industries have been given the opportunity to generate their own electricity.
“It has been decided to immediately grant permission to new industries if they apply for captive power generation. There is no upper limit on the power generation capacity,” he said.
The Minister said the existing industries in Telangana will continue to be supplied with electricity under the current system.
The Cabinet further decided to take up the construction of a new 800 MW plant at Ramagundam Thermal Power Station under the auspices of NTPC. It has also instructed the officials to examine the possibilities of constructing power plants under the auspices of NTPC in Palvancha and Maktal.
The cabinet has decided to make a final assessment of the electricity unit rate if the construction of this unit is handed over to NTPC.
The state cabinet has decided to set up an underground electricity cable system in Hyderabad. There is already an underground electricity cable system in Bangalore. The officials have studied the policy implemented there recently. According to the policy implemented there, the establishment of an underground cable system within the GHMC limits is estimated to cost around Rs.14,725 crore.
The Cabinet has decided to divide Hyderabad city into three sections according to electricity circles. The project will be undertaken. It has been decided to ensure that all the power, T-fiber and various cable network wires are underground and to hold consultations with those companies. It has instructed the officials to prepare a working plan in this regard.
The cabinet has approved the allocation of 20.28 acres of government land for the construction of SC, ST, BC Young India Integrated Residential School in Pedda Nallabelli village, Dummugudem mandal, Kothagudem- Bhadradri district.
The Ministers said the Cabinet has approved the allocation of 40 acres of government land for the establishment of a sports school in Jaggannapet village of Mulugu district.
The State Cabinet also decided to set up a new Advanced Technology Center in Jubilee Hills constituency and it has been decided to set up ATCs in 6 new ITIs in addition to the existing 56 ATCs.
