Telangana CM Revanth Reddy meets Kharge, Rahul; invites them for Warangal farm loan waiver event

Reddy also met Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu and Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy were also present during the the three separate meetings.

New Delhi: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi here on Monday, and invited them for a public meeting in Warangal focused on the state's farm debt waiver programme.

He also met Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu and Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy were also present during the the three separate meetings.

At the meetings, which came close on the heels of the state government initiating the first phase of its loan waiver scheme on July 18, Reddy emphasised the symbolic importance of Warangal vis-a-vis farm loan waiver.

Since the Congress promised the farm-loan waiver at a campaign rally in Warangal during the Assembly polls, the party's state unit plans to hold a public meeting there to highlight its implementation, sources said.

The Telangana government has already credited Rs 6,098 crore to farmers' bank accounts, covering loans up to Rs 1 lakh in the initial phase.

The scheme is set to be implemented in three stages, with the second phase targeting loans up to Rs 1.5 lakh by July-end, and the final phase covering loans up to Rs 2 lakh in August.

In a separate engagement, Reddy also met Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, seeking central funds for the Musi River Beautification Project.

The CM requested Rs 4,000 crore for the treatment of polluted Musi river water under the National River Conservation Plan, and an additional Rs 6,000 crore for augmenting Hyderabad's water supply by filling Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar with Godavari river water.

"If Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar are filled with Godavari water, Hyderabad will not have water problems," Reddy stated, underlining the project's importance for the state capital's water security.

The chief minister also met Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi to discuss issues related to the state.

As the Congress government in Telangana moves to fulfil its poll promises, Reddy's two-day Delhi visit appears aimed at garnering central support and showcasing the party's commitment to farmers' welfare.