AP govt’s Ugadi gift: 1 lakh Tidco houses

Vijayawada: One lakh Tidco houses will be handed over to the beneficiaries on the occasion of Ugadi, while the remaining pending houses will be completed by June, municipal administration and urban development minister P Narayana announced in the assembly on Thursday.Speaking during the discussion on budget demands, the minister outlined the govt's plans for urban development, drinking water supply, waste management, and housing, adding that the govt is moving ahead with a clear roadmap to ensure safe drinking water for all citizens in the state by 2028."Urban population in the state is increasing rapidly, rising from 24.2% in 2001 to 36% at present, and is expected to reach nearly 60% by 2047. Keeping these projections in mind, the govt is preparing long-term infrastructure plans to meet the growing needs of cities and towns," Narayana said.He said the current budget allocated ₹14,539 crore for the municipal administration department, which is 5% higher than the previous year. The funds will be utilised to improve drinking water supply, roads, street lighting, and solid and liquid waste management in urban areas, he added.Explaining that the state supplies around 2,100 MLD of drinking water through 38.48 lakh tap connections, he said another 16.5 lakh connections are required to meet future demand. "Tenders were invited for projects that will supply an additional 941 MLD of drinking water through schemes such as the Amrut programme, AIIB-funded projects, and the UIDF scheme, with a combined investment of nearly ₹11,937 crore," he said.Alleging that the previous regime left behind nearly 1.53 crore metric tonnes of accumulated rubbish, including legacy waste both above and below ground, Narayana said the govt has already cleared 85 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste and plans to remove the remaining 68 lakh metric tonnes by June. The govt is expanding waste-to-energy plants to address the issue. While the existing plants in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam are already converting around 2,800 tonnes of waste into electricity daily, the new plants are being developed in Kakinada, Nellore, Kadapa, and Kurnool. Discussions are also underway to establish additional plants in Vijayawada and Tirupati," Narayana said.