Hyderabad: The Congress government has released over Rs 17,000 crore to 130 municipalities across the state in the last two years and taken up nearly 4,000 development works, the Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement on Thursday, February 5.
According to the statement, the government has adopted a planned approach to urban development by restructuring the municipal administration and prioritising key civic infrastructure such as roads, flood mitigation and sewerage systems.
Municipal dept bifurcated into two divisions: CMO
The municipal department has been bifurcated into two divisions to address region-specific needs more effectively. Areas falling within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) core urban region have been brought under a separate division headed by a special chief secretary, while municipalities outside the ORR have been grouped under another division led by a Secretary-level officer, the release said.
This restructuring, the government added, has enabled focused planning and the sanctioning of works based on the specific requirements of individual municipalities.
Stamp duty, Capital Investment scheme funds
Soon after coming to power, the government released Rs 996.27 crore in stamp duty funds that had been pending since 2019, providing immediate financial relief to cash-strapped municipalities.
Under the States’ Special Assistance for Capital Investment scheme, the implementation of required reforms in urban local bodies helped the state secure Rs 1,698 crore from the Centre.
Funds through Urban Infrastructure Development Fund
Through the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund, the government released Rs 9,387.11 crore to 130 municipalities, facilitating the execution of 2,374 works.
In another major move, Rs 462.19 crore due to 110 municipalities as transfer duty on property transactions—pending for several years—was released after the Congress government assumed office, CMO stated.
Swachh Bharat Mission funds
The state also contributed Rs 286.20 crore as its share under the Swachh Bharat Mission for 347 works taken up in 236 municipalities. With the Centre’s contribution of Rs 175.99 crore, the total expenditure under the scheme amounted to Rs 462.19 crore.
Additionally, under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Rs 4,729.69 crore was released for 107 works across 109 municipalities.
The Chief Minister’s Office said these measures reflect the government’s commitment to strengthening urban infrastructure and ensuring planned, need-based development across municipalities.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by P N Sree Harsha | | 
