Rs. 1,000 cr. for HMWSSB.

Telangana has a high percentage of population living in urban areas, to an extent of 40 per cent, and it is only projected to grow further. Keeping this in mind, the budget has provided for substantial funds towards better amenities such as basic minimum facilities and toning up the urban infrastructure to make them liveable to the migrant poor.

While the total amount proposed for Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA & UD) is Rs. 4,815 crore, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has got a lion’s share of Rs. 1,000 crore for 2016-17 perhaps considering the grave crises in supplying adequate drinking water to the expanded capital region area. It includes the government’s plan to provide drinking water to about 190 villages along the Outer Ring Road (ORR). Drinking water supply in urban areas is likely to improve considerably with the completion of Mission Bhagiratha.

Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has got Rs. 650 crore and the Hyderabad Metro Rail project has been allocated Rs. 200 crore.

The government has also planned to provide Rs.100 crore a year to the municipal corporations of Khammam, Ramagundam, Karimnagar and Nizamabad. It becomes three-fold for the Municipal Corporation of Warangal at Rs. 300 crore. Besides, another sum of Rs.500 crore is proposed towards assistance to other municipalities in the State.

THE HINDU