HYDERABAD: Nagarjuna Sagar byelection is a contest between a contestant who represents the past — Congress candidate K Jana Reddy — and the one who represents the future — TRS candidate Nomula Bhagat — Minister for IT and Industries, KT Rama Rao said on Sunday. The Minister said this during the #AskKTR session on Twitter, that was peppered with assurances, information on various government projects, criticism of the Central government and the BJP and some banter. The Minister expressed confidence that the TRS will win the byelection.
During the session, a user had pointed out that many roadside public toilets and drinking water-dispensing machines installed in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits are not functioning. To which, the Minister said the GHMC is doing its best to maintain them but the utilities are affected by thefts and vandalism. When a user raised a question on encroachments along the Musi river, he assured that they will be removed.
Rama Rao criticised the Central government for not providing support for Telangana’s projects of Hyderabad Pharma City and Kakatiya Mega Textile Park. He also said that the land acquisition for the pharma city is almost complete and the allotment to investors will start soon.
When someone accused the NITI Aayog for being a toothless tiger, Rao said it is just an advisory body and added that he hopes the States will be supported by the Centre based on merit “and not political considerations”. Responding to a suggestion of a semiconductor fabrication unit, Rao said it is an expensive proposition but the Centre needs to take it up.