metro india news  I hyderabad

In a bid to revitalize grassroots governance and prevent the loss of approximately Rs 3,000 crore in Finance Commission funds, the Telangana Cabinet resolved to expedite Panchayat elections, aiming to complete them by December 2025. With the 15th Finance Commission's term ending on March 31, 2026, the Cabinet emphasized the urgency, directing officials to initiate preparations immediately.

The decision comes amid concerns over the weakening of village administration systems. Elections will adhere to Supreme Court and High Court guidelines, capping reservations at 50%. The Dedicated Commission has been tasked with submitting a revised reservation list for BCs within a week, based on the earlier 42% allocation, for Cabinet approval. However, MPTC and ZPTC polls will be deferred until court rulings on BC reservations are finalized, following past legal hurdles that stalled the process.

In other key decisions, the Cabinet approved Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for families of Telangana victims in a recent Saudi Arabia bus accident. A delegation, including Minister Azaruddin and an MIM MLA, will be dispatched to Saudi to oversee arrangements. Deceased bodies will be cremated locally per religious customs, with provisions for two family members per victim to travel.

Honoring late poet and Telangana state anthem writer Andesri, the Cabinet sanctioned an Assistant Professor post for his son A. Datta Sai in a Government Degree college. It also approved establishing an Andesri Smriti Vanam to commemorate his role in the Telangana movement. 

To enhance welfare for around 4 lakh gig and platform workers in sectors like mobility, food delivery, e-commerce, and logistics—who often work 10-12 hours without leaves or security—the Cabinet passed the Telangana Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025. The bill mandates registration, establishes a dedicated board for rights protection, insurance, and grievance redressal, fulfilling an election promise after consultations led by CM A. Revanth Reddy.

Additionally, the Cabinet renamed the SRSP Stage 2 main canal as Ramreddy Damodar Reddy (RDR) SRSP Stage 2 Canal in memory of the late minister. It endorsed the Hyderabad Industrial Lands Transformation Policy (HILTP) to convert industrial land within the Outer Ring Road into multi-use zones.