Hyderabad: The Telangana government has decided to expand the Metro Rail network here by over 86 kms.
Briefing reporters on Thursday night after the state cabinet meeting, Information and Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said it was decided to propose to the Centre to take up the metro rail expansion at a cost of Rs 19,579 crore in partnership with the state.
He urged Union Ministers from Telangana, G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, and BJP Lok Sabha member from Malkajgiri, Eatala Rajender, to persuade the Centre to agree to the proposal.
The cabinet also decided to name the proposed Earth Sciences University in Bhadradri-Kothagudem after the late prime minister Manmohan Singh.
Singh was instrumental in the formation of Telangana during the previous UPA regime, the minister recalled.
The cabinet decided to provide financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the kin in the event of accidental death of a woman Self-Help Group (SHG) member, he said.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who was also present at the press conference, said the cabinet decided to release a Dearness Allowance (DA) to the state government employees immediately and give another DA after six months.
Vikramarka, who heads a cabinet sub-committee on issues of employees, said a trust would be formed on the issue of health cards of employees.
Every employee would contribute Rs 500 per month and the government would contribute an equal amount in a year.
The amount would be assigned to the proposed trust which would be headed by the Chief Secretary. It will have the representatives of employees, he said.
