Hyderabad: The Telangana Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, approved measures to tackle drought conditions, ordered a Special Enquiry Team (SET) probe into alleged irregularities in the Dharani portal and cleared several governance and infrastructure proposals during a meeting that lasted nearly three hours.
The Cabinet decisions were announced at a media briefing by Ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Ponnam Prabhakar, Adluri Laxman Kumar and Jupally Krishna Rao at Dr B. R. Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat after the meeting.
The Cabinet decided to write to the Centre on the drought situation and the impact of El Niño. The letter will explain its impact on agriculture, allied sectors, drinking water, irrigation and rural employment. It will also seek a Central team to assess field conditions. The State will request financial assistance to implement El Niño contingency plans.
The Cabinet noted that the State had recorded nearly a 40 per cent rainfall deficit due to El Niño. It directed all departments to prepare contingency plans for drinking water, irrigation, agriculture and power supply. The Chief Minister asked officials to remain prepared as the weather department had warned of worsening conditions.
District collectors were directed to prevent drinking water shortages and respond promptly to public complaints. The Cabinet also ordered uninterrupted electricity supply across the State. Officials were instructed to generate or procure additional power if required. Available water in all projects will receive priority for drinking water needs.
Telangana Cabinet approves drought and El Niño measures
The Cabinet appealed to farmers to avoid water-intensive crops. It urged them to cultivate crops requiring less water. It also decided to organise awareness programmes across the State on the impact of El Niño, available water resources and precautions for farmers.
Additionally, the Cabinet asked State Planning Board Vice-Chairman Chinna Reddy to prepare a report with agricultural experts and scientists. The report will recommend suitable crops, farming practices and livestock protection measures.
The Cabinet also decided to hold emergency review meetings in all districts. Joint district-level review meetings under district ministers will begin on July 20. Public representatives and officials will participate. Each district in-charge minister will work with a senior IAS officer.
The Cabinet directed all departments to work in coordination. It also asked them to review the drought situation continuously and take timely action.
Dharani probe and governance reforms approved
The Cabinet approved the formation of a Special Enquiry Team to investigate alleged irregularities linked to the Dharani portal since its launch on October 29, 2020. The probe will examine land registrations, record changes, transfers involving agricultural, assigned and government lands and other suspected transactions.
The government said a forensic audit had already identified more than 10,000 suspicious transactions. The inquiry will examine digital records, login details, record modifications, official approvals, land classification changes and beneficiary details.
The investigation will also examine the role of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS), which maintained the portal. It will review the vendor selection process, tender procedures, contract award, portal design, system architecture and data security measures.
The Cabinet said the government had introduced Bhu Bharati after modifying several Dharani modules for farmers’ benefit. However, flaws in the earlier software continued to expose irregularities. The SET will identify those responsible, and the government will initiate strict action against them.
The Cabinet also approved the formation of a high-level committee under the Chief Secretary. The committee will prepare a unified policy for engineering works. It will review project appraisal, land acquisition, procurement, tenders, contract management and bill payments to reduce delays and cost escalation.
The Cabinet approved amendments to the Telangana Municipalities Act, 2019. The changes will allow the nomination of transgender persons as co-opted members in elected municipal corporations.
It also approved amendments to the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018. The revised provisions will allow gram panchayats to deposit funds in nationalised banks, cooperative banks or post offices instead of the Treasury.
Rail corridors and irrigation project cleared
The Roads and Buildings Department presented alignments and station locations for three proposed high-speed rail corridors linking Hyderabad with Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. The Cabinet decided to establish a rail hub near Shamshabad. The proposed routes are Hyderabad–Pune–Mumbai, Hyderabad–Bengaluru and Hyderabad–Amaravati–Tirupati–Chennai.
The Cabinet also approved completion of the Mukteshwar Lift Irrigation Scheme, also known as Chinna Kaleshwaram. The project will lift 4.50 TMC of Godavari water from Kannepalli to irrigate 45,000 acres in Manthani constituency. The Cabinet approved the remaining works after reviewing the progress already completed.