T’gana CM urges Centre to provide Rs 1,779 crore interest free-loan for T- Fiber project

Hyderabad, Aug 23 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday met Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and urged to sanction Rs 1,779 crore interest-free loan for the T- Fiber project, which aims to provide services to 93 lakh households in the state.

The Chief Minister, who along with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka met Scindia in New Delhi, informed him that the state government targets to provide fiber connections to 63 lakh households in the rural areas and 30 lakh households in urban areas at a cost of Rs 300 per month, an official release said here.

The state government has already mobilised Rs 530 crore through various financial institutions for the proposed T- Fiber project which is being taken up at the cost of Rs 1,779 crore, the CM said and requested the Union Minister to sanction Rs 1,779 crore interest-free long-term loan through Universal Service Obligation Fund (USFO), it said.

The CM explained to the Union Minister that the state government is committed to provide connectivity to all Gram Panchayats, Mandals and Districts through optical fiber under the T-Fiber project.

CM Revanth Reddy apprised Scindia of the state government’s plan to provide internet services at Rs 300 per connection to 63 lakh households in the rural areas and 30 lakh in the urban areas, cable TV and e-education services, apart from extending G2G (Government to Government) and G2C (Government to Citizen) connectivity to 65,500 government institutions, it said.

Revanth Reddy, along with Bhatti Vikramarka and Telangana Minister for Tourism and Excise Jupally Krishna Rao also met Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in New Delhi.

During the meeting, the CM urged Mandaviya to provide Telangana with opportunities to host future national and international sports events, including the Olympics, the release said.

The Chief Minister emphasised that Telangana possesses all the necessary infrastructure to host such events.

He reminded the Union Minister that Hyderabad had successfully hosted major events in the past, such as the National Games in 2002, Afro-Asian Games in 2003, and the World Military Games in 2007.

Revanth Reddy sought the inclusion of Hyderabad as a venue for the Khelo India Youth Games scheduled for January 2025, it said.

He also requested financial assistance from the Central government for setting up a sports university in Telangana to nurture sporting talents of the youth, the release said.

The Telangana CM requested the approval of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) already submitted by the state government for the upgrade of facilities at the GMC Balayogi Stadium in Gachibowli, the shooting range at the University of Hyderabad, LB Stadium, the sports school in Hakimpet, and the Saroor Nagar Indoor Stadium, the release added. PTI VVK VVK SS