The State government has decided to establish six new municipalities — Mulugu, Kallur in Khammam district, Aliabad, Muduchintalapally, and Yellampet in Medchal-Malkajgiri district, and Bichkunda in Kamareddy district. Additionally, Kothagudem Municipal Corporation will be formed by merging Kothagudem and Paloncha municipalities along with seven Gram Panchayats from Sujatha Nagar mandal.
The Telangana Municipalities (Amendment) Bill-2025, facilitating these changes, was passed in the Assembly on Monday. Moving the Bill, Legislature Affairs Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu stated that the decision aimed to enhance urban infrastructure in rural areas. He noted that the formation of Mulugu municipality was a long-pending demand.
The move to upgrade Gram Panchayats into municipalities has been welcomed by Opposition parties, including the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). However, BRS legislators, including Ch. Malla Reddy and K.P. Vivekananda, urged the government not to merge the newly created municipalities in Medchal-Malkajgiri district with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), citing potential challenges for residents under GHMC’s jurisdiction.
In response, Mr. Sridhar Babu assured that any such merger would be considered only after a comprehensive study and consultations with all stakeholders.
Several legislators from both the ruling and Opposition parties also urged the government to prioritise infrastructure development in the villages being merged into municipalities. They emphasised the need to rationalise property tax to ensure fairness.
BRS MLA from Dubbaka, Kotha Prabhakar Reddy, inquired about the government’s plans regarding the previously proposed Chegunta municipality, which was stalled due to various reasons. In response, Mr. Sridhar Babu clarified that there is no proposal at present but assured that the matter would be examined after a thorough study.
Meanwhile, CPI MLA from Kothagudem, Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao, expressed gratitude to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao for the decision to establish Kothagudem Municipal Corporation.
Published - March 24, 2025 09:20 pm IST
