Revanth defends HYDRAA Commissionerâs appointment, hails agency as major reform
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday strongly defended the State governmentâs authority to appoint officers, asserting that postings are entirely at its discretion. He
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday strongly defended the State governmentâs authority to appoint officers, asserting that postings are entirely at its discretion. He said the government would examine the High Courtâs direction to relieve A.V. Ranganath from his post as HYDRAA Commissioner and explore all legal options in this regard. Speaking to the media in Delhi, Mr. Reddy described HYDRAA as one of the most significant reforms introduced by his government and vowed to strengthen the agency. He reiterated that encroachments on water bodies would be removed at any cost.
He also maintained that HYDRAA had earned appreciation from across the country for its efforts to protect public assets. âWe have complete clarity on HYDRAAâs role. We will study the High Courtâs order and continue our efforts to protect public lands and water bodies,â he said, alleging that only those interested in occupying public land were opposing HYDRAA actions. Referring to the contempt proceedings linked to HYDRAA operations, the Chief Minister claimed that a former Chief Secretary was facing around 400 contempt of court cases.
He accused BRS leaders of filing cases with mala fide intent and misleading the public about HYDRAA activities. He also alleged that money was being spent to spread false propaganda against the agency on social media. On examination paper leaks, Mr. Reddy expressed concern over the conduct of examinations in offline mode, saying it had led to several problems. He accused the Centre of attempting to curtail the powers of States in the education sector and dominate universities. âIf education remains within the Stateâs jurisdiction to the maximum extent possible, such mistakes can be avoided,â he said, while calling for strict action against those responsible for irregularities in examinations.
Referring to the issue of fee reimbursement, the Chief Minister assured students that Telangana would no longer face delays in payments. Stating that the scheme costs the government about âš2,200 crore annually, he said dues would henceforth be cleared within the same financial year.
The BriefWire