Telangana Cabinet approves two DAs for employees and pensioners, discusses drought in 235 mandals
Hyderabad: The Telangana Cabinet on Thursday approved the release of two Dearness Allowances (DAs) to State government employees and retired employees, sanctioning them immediately from among the DAs pending since 2024. The arrears accumulated since then will be paid in instalments. The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, was held at the Dr B.R. Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat on Thursday evening.
The Chief Minister decided to sanction DA to employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners despite the financial strain, in keeping with an assurance given during recent talks with employees’ unions. The decision will place a burden of Rs 2,500 crore a year on the State government.
The Cabinet held a lengthy discussion on the El Nino conditions prevailing in the State. Telangana has recorded a rainfall deficit of nearly 17 per cent this monsoon season, which has also come to an end. Drought conditions have set in across about 235 mandals due to severe rainfall shortage.
It was decided that a Cabinet sub-committee would discuss the immediate measures to be taken in drought-hit areas. The Chief Minister ordered that an all-party meeting be convened soon, and meetings will also be held with farmers’ associations and experts from various sectors to gather suggestions on the El Nino situation and the relief measures required.
The Cabinet appealed to the Centre to extend appropriate assistance to the State along with the declaration of drought mandals. A team of ministers will soon travel to Delhi to meet Union ministers and brief them on the situation in the State.
The Cabinet also decided to make arrangements for the procurement of paddy for the Kharif season, with procurement centres set to open soon. The Civil Supplies department has estimated that nearly 65 lakh metric tonnes of paddy will have to be procured this season. The Cabinet instructed officials to take all steps needed to ensure a smooth procurement process.
Peak power demand hits record 19,892 MW
Power consumption in the State has risen significantly due to the El Nino conditions. Against a normal daily consumption of 15,000 MW, peak demand this season touched a record 19,892 MW, close to 20,000 MW, while the highest consumption recorded over the whole of last year was 16,613 MW.
The Cabinet therefore decided to give special focus to power generation and adequate supply in line with demand. It resolved to secure enough electricity to ensure there are no power cuts anywhere in the State, purchasing power as required to meet demand.
Keeping future demand and requirements in mind, the Cabinet decided to focus on new renewable power generation and power mobilisation, and approved the setting up of units targeting nearly 7,800 MW. It discussed proposals for 3,000 MW of solar power, a 4,000 MW battery energy storage system and 800 MW of wind power units, and decided that these projects would be taken up through bidding in line with Central norms.
The Cabinet decided to speed up work on a world-class integrated fruit market at Koheda in Abdullapurmet mandal of Rangareddy district, and suggested that it be built entirely with government funds. It also decided to review long-pending projects and directed officials to cancel incomplete projects taken up under the EPC mode, as per orders already issued. As part of this, the Cabinet approved discontinuing 10 EPC irrigation projects.
The Cabinet examined a proposal to implement a separate policy for digital media advertising in Telangana, and approved the policy in line with the digital advertisement policy framed by the Central Bureau of Communication. It also approved the sanction of a Deputy Commissioner post in the Resident Commissioner’s office at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi, and decided to appoint four more Group-1 officers to work in Delhi on behalf of the State government.