While PM Narendra Modi was full of praise for Telangana CM KCR during his public appearance after the inauguration of Mission Bhagiratha, promises of financial assistance from the centre were noticeably absent, reports The Times of India.
Speaking at a public meeting after the launch of the drinking water project Mission Bhagiratha in Komatibanda village in Gajwel district, CM KCR was all praises for the NDA government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for running a corruption-free government for the last two years. KCR also thanked union ministers Venkaiah Naidu and Suresh Prabhu for their help in clearing hurdles for the Hudco loan to the state, and the metro rail project in Hyderabad.
“In the past 40 years of my political career, whether one believes it or not, this is the first time I am witnessing a corruption-free government at the Centre. The Centre's devolution to the states has also increased to 42%,” KCR was quoted by TOI as saying.
Pointing out that the Telangana government was committed to welfare projects nearly Rs 30,000 crore, he urged the PM to provide some central assistance for them. He appealed to Modi to accord national project status to one of the irrigation projects underway in the state.
KCR also appealed for funds for the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) and the grant of an AIIMS and IIM, as well as funds for Mission Kakatiya, a project to revive 45,000 lakes in the state.
Modi who started his speech in Telugu, reciprocated the compliments given him by KCR, but did not speak at all about financial aid to the state, much to KCR’s disappointment.
He said that KCR was always hard at work to develop the youngest state in the country, and that KCR had always expressed strong emotions and opinions about water issues, whenever he had met him. Modi also thanked the TRS for its support in Parliament for the GST Bill.
Towards the end of his speech, Modi said, “As much as Hyderabad is yours, Delhi is equally yours.” However, no concrete announcements were made of any schemes or provisions by the Centre for Telangana.