TS Cabinet asks CS to clear crop loan dues

Hyderabad, Oct 21 (INN): The Telangana State Cabinet on Friday asked Chief Secretary Dr. Rajiv Sharma to clear dues of Crop Loan waiver scheme, Fee Reimbursement and Aarogyasri schemes by utilising Central funds.

Briefing the media persons after the cabinet meeting, which was chaired by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, at the State Secretariat here, Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari informed that the cabinet had detailed discussions on the various pending dues and decided to clear the same using Central funds.

The cabinet also passed a resolution requesting Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan to allot blocks in the Secretariat which have been vacated by the Andhra Pradesh Government following shifting of its employees to Amravati.

The Telangana Cabinet also discussed the verdict of Brijesh Kumar Tribunal on Krishna River water distribution. For a thorough study on implications of Tribunal's verdict on Telangana, it has been decided to constitute a Cabinet Sub-Committee. To be headed by Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao, the Cabinet Sub-Committee, will have ministers Tummala Nageshwara Rao, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Jupally Krishna Rao and Jagadishwar Reddy as members. Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari and Deputy Chairman of State Planning Board Niranjan Reddy will be the Special Invitees.

It has also been decided by the cabinet to constitute Cabinet Sub-Committees for Universities and Fish, Sheep Farming which will be headed by the Deputy CM Srihari and Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav respectively.

The State Cabinet has decided to promote 3,534 Language Pandits and PETs as School Assistants.

In addition to 180 days of Maternity Leave, the women staff of Telangana Government will now be able avail 90 days of additional leave for Child Care. However, this leave can be utilised in six spells of 15 days each till the child reaches the age of 18 years. The State Cabinet gave its nod to this provision.

The Telangana Cabinet also decided to change the name of six districts by adding a suffix. Therefore the new districts will now be called: Kummaram Bheem Asifabad; Yadadiri Bhongir; Bhadrachalam Kothagudem; Jogulamba Gadwal; Rajanna Sircilla and Jaishankar Bhupalpally.

Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy, Irrigation Minister Harish Rao, Health Minister Dr. Lakshma Reddy and Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav were also present during the cabinet briefing.