Telangana Assembly session sees marathon nine-hour debate over first day demands

HYDERABAD: Excise Minister V Srinivas Goud said the State government was in touch with the Central government to change existing rules so that Nigerians who are caught smuggling cocaine into India can be deported to their native country.

Replying to the Excise demand in the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, Goud said that Nigerians who were arrested for smuggling cocaine were continuing to stay in the State and sell drugs to their contacts. 

Opposition too tired to respond, Speaker pleased

Several Ministers replied to demands pertaining to their portfolios on Tuesday, which were eventually granted. The Assembly debated the first day demands for more than nine hours. After all the Ministers replied at 9.24 pm, Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy asked the Opposition members whether they wanted to seek further clarifications. When the tired Opposition members said no, the Speaker quipped: "very good, boys". Later, the House granted the demands.

Housing Minister Vemula Prasanth Reddy provided information on the status of provision of 2BHK houses. He said the State government had provided funds in the 2021-22 Budget for giving financial assistance to people who have own house sites, for constructing a 2BHK.

He said of the two lakh 2BHK houses, 52,456 houses were completed fully while another 1.02 lakh houses were 90 per cent complete. The remaining houses were in various stages of construction, which required funds of Rs 4,000 crore. The government had provided Rs 11,000 crore in the Budget for 2BHK houses, Prasanth Reddy said.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy said the Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation scheme would be completed within the next one-and-a-half years.  He assured that the government was committed to waive the farm loans. Transport Minster Puvvada Ajay Kumar informed that the accumulated debts of TSRTC were Rs 5,939 crore.