MiM Demands for Seprate Metropolitan Regional Development Board for Hyderabad

Majls e Ittehadul Muslimeen Party Headquarters Darrussalam on the eve of Milad u Nabi Meeting in Hyderabad , MiM MP Asaduddin Owaisi Can be seen adressing the Gathering .

Hyderabad, April 26: All India Majlis-e-Ittehaadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi on Thursday demanded the State Government to constitute a separate Metropolitan Regional Development Board for Hyderabad.

In a statement here, Akbaruddin Owaisi recalled that since 2004, the AIMI has been demanding the revival of the regional development boards for the three regions which were abolished by the previous Telugu DesamParty government way back in 1983.

He pointed out that the regional boards for Telangana , Andhra and Rayualaseema regions were established under the Six-Point Formula hammered out in September 1973 by the Central Government in the wake of separatist agitations in Telangana during 1969-71 and in Andhra region in 1972-73. However, in 1983, the then TDP Chief Minister N T Rama Rao had abolished these regional boards without any rhyme or reason.

While welcoming the decision of the Congress government now to revive the regional boards, he,however, questioned the rationale behind the creation of two regional boards for Coastal Andhra—one for three north coastal districts and another for six south coastal districts. Regional Development Boards for Telangana, Andhra and Rayalaseema regions are enough.

Instead of creating two regional development boards for Coastal Andhra, he asked Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy to constitute a separate metropolitan regional development board for Hyderabad. He pointed out that both the central and state governments are collecting taxes to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore every year from the t win cities of Hyderabad-Secunderabad and adjoining areas. However, both the governments are providing financial assistance of less than Rs 1,000 crore annually for the twin cities under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and other state and central schemes implemented by the Municipal Corporation and other civic bodies.

He said that the State Government has proposed to form Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority besides creating the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, even though the latter issue is pending in the Supreme Court. In this backdrop, the State government should set up a separate Metropolitan Regional Development Board for Hyderabad with representation to elected representatives from the twin cities so that effective metropolitan development plans are drawn up and implemented.