Telangana state cabinet made several major decisions on Tuesday, November 25, focusing on urban development and power sector reforms. The government approved bringing 27 local urban bodies under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
This expansion will integrate multiple municipalities and councils within the Hyderabad-Telangana metropolitan region into a single administrative unit. The cabinet also passed necessary changes to both the GHMC Act and Telangana Municipal Act to support this merger.
The state plans to create a third electricity distribution company alongside the existing Northern Power Distribution Company and Southern Power Distribution Company. This new company will handle all farming connections, irrigation projects, water supply schemes, and power needs for the Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board.
Telangana will invite bids for 3,000 megawatts of solar energy projects with 5-year contracts. The government also plans to seek tenders for 2,000 MW of pumped-storage power generation with similar contract terms.
Private companies can now establish 10,000 MW of pumped-storage power plants across the state. The government will provide land and water resources, but these facilities must sell their electricity to state distribution companies first.
A new 800 MW thermal power unit will be built at Ramagundam Thermal Power Station through partnership with National Thermal Power Corporation. Officials will compare costs between NTPC and GENCO before finalizing the project.
The cabinet instructed officials to study building power plants in Palvancha and Maktal areas. New industries can now generate their own electricity without capacity limits, though existing industries will continue using the current supply system.
Hyderabad will get an underground cable network similar to Bangalore’s system at an estimated cost of Rs 14,725 crore. All electricity lines, fiber optic cables, and communication networks will move underground across three city sections.
The government allocated 20.28 acres in Pedda Nallabelli village, Bhadradri Kothagudem district, for building residential schools for scheduled castes, tribes, and backward classes. Another 40 acres in Jaggannapet village, Mulugu district, will house a new sports school.
A new Advanced Technology Centre will open in Jubilee Hills constituency. Six more Industrial Training Institutes will receive technology centers, bringing the state total to 62 centers.
