Hyderabad, February 12: Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy has labeled the Telangana government’s division of the Hyderabad, Gajwel, and Nalgonda municipal corporations as illegal. He alleged that this action followed the central government’s notification for the upcoming census.
Reddy informed the media that a directive was issued nationwide after the census notification, stating that revenue villages and wards should not be divided. Despite this, the state government proceeded with the division of the Gajwel, Nalgonda, and Hyderabad municipal corporations, which he described as a wholly illegal decision.
According to him, the Census Directorate clearly stated that no changes should occur after December 31, 2025, and until May 2027. He accused the state government of violating these guidelines.
The BJP leader noted that during a time when municipal elections were taking place in the state, the government violated election commission rules by transferring several IAS officers and officials from various departments.
He further stated that dividing the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) into three municipalities also contravened election commission regulations.
Reddy alleged that areas located far from the municipal headquarters were included in the new corporations, which he claimed would be unjust to the poor residents of those villages. He emphasized that the employment guarantee scheme had been beneficial for the rural poor until now.
The central minister accused the state government of incorporating several villages into the new corporations without any comprehensive plan or financial resources.
He pointed out that the GHMC, established in 2007, covered an area of 650 square kilometers, while the new arrangement spans a total of 2,053 square kilometers. However, he claimed there is no infrastructure development plan corresponding to this expansion.
Kishan Reddy further alleged that the decision to divide the GHMC was made unilaterally without seeking public opinion.
Although it was stated that the Outer Ring Road (ORR) would serve as a boundary, some areas were placed both inside and outside the ORR. He noted that key regions such as the airport, BHEL, and ICRISAT were excluded from the GHMC limits.
The BJP leader also accused the Congress government of including AIMIM-dominated areas like Rajendranagar and Maheshwaram into the main GHMC area due to political pressure from AIMIM.
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S.C.H.
