In a bid to promote sustainable development and environmental conservation, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka of Telangana announced a new incentive scheme aimed at encouraging the construction of eco-friendly buildings in the state.
Addressing the closing ceremony of the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) property show, Vikramarka highlighted the importance of protecting the environment while advancing infrastructure development. Under the scheme, builders will be eligible for incentives if their constructions meet specific green building criteria, including a requirement to save 50 per cent water and 40 per cent electricity compared to conventional buildings. Emphasizing affordability, Vikramarka stressed the need for eco-friendly buildings to be accessible to middle-class individuals, ensuring inclusivity in sustainable urban development. Furthermore, the Deputy CM affirmed the government’s commitment to attracting investments to Hyderabad and positioning it as a global city. He acknowledged the significant infrastructural developments in Hyderabad, attributing them to the visionary initiatives of previous administrations.
In addition to incentivizing green construction, Vikramarka announced plans for the development of housing colonies between the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and the Regional Ring Road (RRR), drawing inspiration from existing Housing Board Colonies in areas like Kukatpally and ECIL. He urged the IGBC to actively participate in the construction of these upcoming residential projects, further emphasizing the importance of sustainability in urban planning and development.
“The people of Telangana have ended family rule. The present people’s government will be available to citizens round-the-clock. We will shortly construct the Regional Ring Road. That will help in transporting the products manufactured in districts to the city. We will construct industrial clusters between RRR and ORR, and this will create thousands of jobs,” he said. Vikramarka also said that the state government was planning to rejuvenate Musi river and expand the Metro to all corners of Hyderabad. “This government is industry-friendly. We are inviting the industrialists to invest in the state. The builders too are our partners in developing the state,” he said.
He lauded the efforts of IGBC in promoting green buildings and setting a target of 11.67 billion square feet. The deputy CM also congratulated the IGBC for converting 2.5 lakh residential units into green buildings besides achieving the target of 1.46 billion square feet green building area. Vikramarka said that the state government was according priority to basic amenities such as sanitation, electricity and health facilities in rural areas.
New comprehensive energy policy soon Claiming that the state government was providing uninterrupted power to all categories of consumers, the deputy CM said that the government would soon come up with a comprehensive energy policy for the state. “Recently, a 10.5 MW solar power plant was started in Kothagudem. The 4,000 MW Yadadri thermal power plant too would commence its operations within a year. Solar power plants would be set up in the vacant lands of Singareni Collieries Company Limited and floating solar power plants would be set up on major irrigation projects,” he said.
