Congress manifesto for Telangana: Vows national status to Palamuru project, ITIR and universities

Hyderabad: The Congress released a manifesto on Friday with special promises for Telangana ahead of the Lok Sabha Parliamentary elections.

The Telangana manifesto, released in pair with the national manifesto termed ‘Panch Nyay’, addressed 23 issues specific to the state such as restarting the Information Technology and Investment Region (ITIR) project in Hyderabad, the national status for Palamuru-Ranga Reddy irrigation project, and national aviation and sports universities, among others.

AICC Telangana in-charge Deepadas Munshi, IT minister D Sridhar Babu and others released the manifesto at Gandhi Bhavan.

Promises to Telangana

The Congress promised to restart the Information Technology and Investment Region (ITIR) project in Hyderabad, which was withdrawn by the BJP government earlier. The Congress manifesto promised to fulfil the stipulations under the AP Reorganisation Act 2014 such as establishing a railway coach factory at Kazipet, the Bayyaram steel factory, and an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Hyderabad, the rapid railway system beside Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway and a mining university. Other universities promised include a sports and an aviation university.

The Congress also promised to remerge with Telangana the five GP villages around Bhadrachalam namely Yetapaka, Gundala, Purushottam Patnam, Kannaigudem and Pichukalapadu which are now in AP. This will help develop Bhadrachalam Sree Rama temple, the party manifesto said.

The establishment of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), an Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) campus and an advanced medical and health research institute under ICMR, are part of the Telangana manifesto.

The Congress promised to confer national status for Palamuru-Ranga Reddy irrigation project. The manifesto promised to build new industrial corridors such as the Hyderabad-Bangalore IT and Industrial Corridor, Hyderabad-Nagpur Industrial Corridor, Hyderabad-Warangal Industrial Corridor, Hyderabad-Miryalaguda through Nalgonda Industrial Corridor and Singareni Industrial Corridor.

The Congress said that based on the 73 and 74th Constitutional amendments, the Central government grants will directly go to the gram panchayat sarpanch.

The other promises made in the Congress manifesto for Telangana include:

- A NITI Aayog regional office in Hyderabad.

- New airports in the state

- The Ramagundam-Manuguru railway lane

- Establishment of four new Sainik Schools and the increase of Kendriya Vidyalayas and the doubling the Navodaya Vidyalayas.

- A solar-based electricity-producing system for every house.

- An international standards cultural and entertainment hub

- National status for Medaram Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara.

- A new dry port.

- A Supreme Court bench in Hyderabad

Panch Nyay

The Congress also included a national manifesto called ‘Panch Nyay’ for the people of the country. The ‘five justices’ included Hissedari Nyay (Wquality), Kisan Nyay (Justice for Farmers), Shramik Nyay (Justice for Labour), Yav Nyay (Justice for Youth) and Naari Nyay (Justice for Women).

Many Congress leaders were present at the release of the AICC Manifesto. AICC Telangana in-charge Deepadas Munshi said that people want to see Congress Rahul Gandhi as prime minister for the betterment of the country. She said that if Modi and the BJP win 400 seats, they will change the Constitution. “Congress will win 14 seats in the Telangana Parliament elections,” she said.