URBANISATION IN TS AT FAST PACE, SAYS KTR

The municipal administration and urban Development (MA&UD) department is the most thankless one as far as the public are concerned, said municipal minister K.T. Rama Rao. No other department’s staff works as hard and tirelessly as those in the municipal department, he said.

The minister said that the department has set a target of establishing model markets, bio-mining plants, faecal sludge treatment plants, advanced dhobi ghats, vegetable and meat markets, Vaikunta Dhamams, besides digital door numbering in all the ULBs in the current financial year.

Addressing mayors, chairpersons and municipal staff from across the state at a workshop on Pattana Pragathi here on Friday, he wanted urban local bodies (ULBs) to frame plans for achieving targets set for the ensuing Haritha Haram. He said that more urbanization was expected in the next five years and there was a need for planned growth to meet the increasing infrastructure demands, he said.

“Urbanisation has increased by nearly 46 per cent. Over 51 per cent of the state population will reside in cities and towns in the next five years”, Rao said.

He said that in 2014, the state GSDP was `5.60 lakh crore. Now after comprehensive development across fields, it has shot up to `11.56 lakh crore, of which Hyderabad generates 45 per cent, he said.

When Telangana was created, there were only 68 ULBs. With the addition of 74 new municipalities, the total ULBs in the state stand at 142.Recruitments meeting the demand are being taken up, he said.

● THE MINISTER said that the department has set a target of establishing model markets, bio-mining plants, faecal sludge treatment plants, advanced dhobi ghats, vegetable and meat markets.