KCR Urges PM To Approve Muslim Reservation Bill

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to approve the state's Muslim reservation bill, and to accord national status to either the Palamur-Ranga Reddy lift irrigation scheme or the Kaleshwaram irrigation project.

He also urged Modi to link the NREGA to the agricultural sector, and also support the 2013 Land Acquisition Act of the state.

KCR, who attended the NITI Ayog meetings on Sunday and Monday, called on the Prime Minister afterwards. During his one-and-a-half hour meeting with Modi, KCR made a fervent appeal that the Muslim reservation bill sent by the state be approved by the necessary inclusions being made in the 9th schedule of the Constitution.

"The Centre should give a free hand to the states to take some policy decisions and steps for the welfare of the most backward Muslims and Scheduled Tribes," he said.

The Telangana Legislature had recently passed a bill to enhance reservations for Muslims to 12% from 4%, and for STs to 10% from 6%, but it is likely to be thrown out by the courts without inclusion in the Constitution.

KCR is learnt to have brought to the notice of the Prime Minister that reservations for Muslims under the BC-E category were possible since the Centre had already gave similar permissions to a few other states including Tamil Nadu, Odisha and some of the North Eastern states.

The Muslim reservations bill should not be seen as a religious one as the community was lagging behind in all sectors for a few decades, KCR is learnt to have told the Prime Minister.

The meeting gains significance as Modi during the BJP executive meeting had said that there was a need for focusing on the backwardness of the Muslims in the country.

Other issues that figured prominently during the Modi-KCR meeting are those pertaining to to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, the High Court bifurcation among the two Telugu states and one nation - one time elections.

KCR also touched upon the need for increasing the Assembly seats, more financial assistance for the backward districts, and uniform service rules for teachers; and the implications of the note ban, the reduction in revenues from various sources and other national issues.

He also explained the state government's initiatives and developmental activities to the PM. He spoke about the steps to offer Rs 4,000 per acre per farmer for two crop seasons each year towards fertilizer purchases as it would boost the morale of the farmers, who had been neglected by the previous governments. The decision would help end suicides and remove poverty among peasants who were falling prey to money lenders, he said.

KCR also called on Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and sought cooperation for the speedy bifurcation of the High Court.