Civic bodies seek Rs 325 crore for bio meet

With just about 100 days left for the prestigious International Bio-diversity Conference in which ministerial delegations from 193 countries are expected to participate, civic authorities are desperately trying to persuade the State government to release funds for undertaking city beautification works.

Though marathon meetings have been taking place for the past few months, not a single work worth its name has been taken up till date. This, despite a categorical assurance from Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy that there is no dearth of funds. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) needs Rs 300 crore and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) requires around Rs 25 crore for beautification of the city.

The officials brought this to the notice of Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development M Maheedhar Reddy at a meeting at his chambers in the Secretariat on Thursday.

The officials informed him that both the GHMC and HMDA require Rs 325 crore for taking up works like laying roads, plantation, streetlights and beautification of parks.

Tenders can be invited only if funds were released and with the onset of the monsoon, the works need to be completed at the earliest, they pointed out. The minister directed the GHMC and HMDA to submit a letter specifying the proposed works and estimated expenditure so that he could take up the matter with the Chief Minister on Friday.