Hyderabad, March 8 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday said that the state government plans to soon distribute electric scooters to girl students studying in colleges.

Addressing Women’s Day celebrations here, the Chief Minister said: “It may not be possible this financial year, but we are planning to soon distribute electric vehicles to college-going girl students.”

During the 2023 Assembly elections, the Congress had promised electric scooters to every girl student of 18 years of age and above.

Opposition parties have been targeting the Congress government for not implementing the promise even after two years.

The Chief Minister, during his speech, listed out the initiatives taken by the government to make Hyderabad pollution-free.

He said the government has introduced a zero-tax policy for electric vehicles.

Stating that 2,500 diesel buses of the Road Transport Corporation are emitting pollution in Hyderabad, he said by December, they will be replaced by electric buses.

The Chief Minister said Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai were plagued by various problems like pollution and floods and claimed that Hyderabad is the best city.

He said former Chief Ministers Chandrababu Naidu and Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy transformed Hyderabad. “We are trying to make Hyderabad compete with South Korea, New York, and Tokyo,” he said.

The Chief Minister also spoke about the plans to shift polluting industries beyond the Outer Ring Road.

Stating that Hyderabad is in the orange category of pollution, he said if left like this, it will enter the red zone.

He slammed the opposition parties for what he called creating hurdles in his efforts to clean the Musi River.

Revanth Reddy said in Ahmedabad, 10,000 families were displaced for Sabarmati Riverfront development, but they were not provided proper facilities. “They (BJP) undertook the Yamuna Riverfront development in Delhi, the Ganga Riverfront development in UP, but are opposing the Musi Riverfront development in Hyderabad,” he said.

The Chief Minister said since construction is prohibited in a 50-metre buffer zone along the lake, he asked officials to have talks with those living in the area.

“We told them that we will give them 7 acres of land and deposit the money required to build apartments on this land, but the issue has been given a political colour. Every party is going there and showing sympathy. Sympathy does not solve the problem. All the constructions in the 50-metre buffer zone have zero value,” he said, while adding that the government is ready to provide fair compensation to the displaced under the Musi project.

CM Revanth Reddy said that he needs everyone’s cooperation to save the city and to take it to the international level, and make it the backbone of the country’s economy.

He announced that a power-point presentation will be made on the Musi Riverfront on March 13.

He defended the proposal to set up the Gandhi Knowledge Centre at a cost of Rs 200 crore as part of the Musi Riverfront project.

The CM also mentioned the government’s target to make Telangana a 3-trillion-dollar economy by 2047 and the investment opportunities in Telangana.

“We have organised a global summit and invited global companies. We will convert the CURE area with a population of 1.30 crore into a hub of the service sector.”

Highlighting the women empowerment schemes launched in Telangana, CM Revanth Reddy expressed concern over discrimination against women, which was still persisting in society, including in developed countries like America.

Stating that the Telangana state was formed with the inspiration of Sonia Gandhi, the Chief Minister said that the Congress has given all the posts, including President, Prime Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker, Chief Ministers and party Presidents to women.

The Telangana government was also giving priority to women in the appointment of district Collectors, SPs and other focal posts in the departments. A key district like Hyderabad has a woman Collector. A woman officer in the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) worked to ensure the surrender of 700 Maoists, he said.

–IANS

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