KCR: Jaitley has assured to cut GST on projects to 5%

The Centre is also ready to hand over the Bison Ground for the new Secretariat and land for widening of the Medchal highways.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday said Union finance minister Arun Jaitely had assured that the September 9 GST Council meeting in Hyderabad would “positively consider” the Telangana state government’s request to reduce GST on projects of public importance to 5 per cent.

Projects such as Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya, irrigation and power schemes are being taxed at 12 per cent now.

Mr Jaitley also said the government was ready to hand over the Bison Polo Ground to construct the Secretariat, and land in the Secunderabad Cantonment to widen roads and construct flyovers on the highways to Medchal and Karimnagar.

Mr Rao said the Centre had recognised the importance of having a new Secretariat and expansion of Rajiv Rahadari, Medchal highways.

TPCC Working president Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had ruined the irrigation sector by redesigning and reengineering projects while not earmarking water to any project in any district.

Speaking at a function on Saturday to mark the eighth death anniversary of Dr Y.S. Rajashekhar Reddy, he said the late YSR was able to provide water to over 50 lakh acres in Telangana with Jalayagnam. They would have been completed if the TRS had pursued the work.

He said the redesign of the Pranahita-Chevella project by Mr Rao had hiked its cost to over `1 lakh crore and changed key components resulting in confusion among farmers.

He said the Congress government had envisaged Devadula, Kanthanapalli, Nettempadu, Bheema and Kalwakurthy projects to irrigate lakhs of acres but the TRS government had neglected them.

He said the Congress had ‘coverts’ (double agents) in the TRS ranks, who were giving it information about defections from the ruling party.