Minister Rao emphasized the importance of protecting the livelihoods and raising the income of the urban poor, calling for the central government's support in the next budget to address their needs effectively.
Telangana's Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president, K T Rama Rao, met with Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Saturday to advocate for the implementation of an urban job guarantee scheme similar to MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act). Minister Rao emphasized the necessity of safeguarding the interests of the urban poor, protecting their livelihoods, and increasing their income.
During the meeting, Minister Rao presented his representation to the central government, expressing his firm belief that addressing the needs of India's growing urban population is a critical strategic policy matter for all national, state, and city governments. He requested the introduction of a National Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme (NUEGS) modeled after MGNREGA to support the urban poor across the country.
Minister Rao highlighted the benefits of an employment guarantee scheme, stating that the state government could provide job cards to the urban poor, enabling their participation in city-level green action plans and basic infrastructure projects such as pavement laying. This would empower the urban poor while contributing to the development of cities.
In addition to the job guarantee scheme, Minister Rao put forth several key demands during the meeting. He sought early approval for the Hyderabad Metro Rail project works of Phase-II (B) and the extension of corridor-3 of phase-I from Nagole to LB Nagar. He also requested Rs 800 crore fund support for the construction of "missing link roads" and Rs 400 crore fund under the Swachh Bharat Mission for the implementation of a solid waste management project in Greater Hyderabad, according to PTI.
Furthermore, Minister Rao discussed the need for approval of the mass rapid transit system project in Hyderabad, 20 percent funding for sewer network infrastructure dedicated to liquid waste collection in Hyderabad, and an initial seed funding of Rs 100 crore for the establishment of a sanitation hub in the state.
Accompanying Minister Rao in the meeting were BRS MPs G Ranjith Reddy and Kotha Prabhakar Reddy, who further reinforced the importance of these demands for the development and welfare of Telangana.
Minister Rao, the son of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, concluded his two-day visit to the national capital, during which he engaged with central ministers to discuss various issues pertaining to the southern state.