CM: Will set up SIT to probe ORR tenders

Kolishetty Venkateshwarlu
Alleging that the BRS government had handed over the Outer Ring Road (ORR) to someone unsolicitedly, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said the government will set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe ORR tenders.
The Chief Minister made this announcement in the Assembly on Thursday making it clear that the government will conduct a comprehensive probe with the SIT.
In a debate on the ‘Outstanding Liabilities of the State’ held on Thursday at the Assembly, Harish raised objections to the criticism of the Treasury benches that the BRS government had handed over ORR to a Maharashtra Company on lease cheaply and said that the Congress government should cancel the agreement if it has objections on it.
Reacting to Harish Rao’s comments, the Chief Minister commented that it is appreciable that former Minister T. Harish Rao is requesting a probe into the ORR lease.
The government is ordering a probe into ORR lease tenders as per the request of Harish Rao, the CM said. The probe will be taken up while discussing guidelines in the Cabinet, the CM said.
However, Harish Rao stated that he didn’t wish for the probe but still he said that he is welcoming the probe into ORR lease tenders. However, Harish Rao appealed to the Chief Minister to abolish the tenders before ordering the probe.
The Chief Minister said the Congress is the reason behind Hyderabad shining as an international city. CM said, “Congress is the reason for bringing Krishna-Godavari waters to Hyderabad, ORR, International Airport, Metro Rail, IT Pharma Companies, protecting law and order and enhancing communal harmony in Hyderabad. The state’s revenue increased due to ORR and Shamshabad Airport. The face of the state has changed due to the decisions taken by the then YSR government”.
CM Revanth Reddy said that 65 per cent of the revenue of the state is coming due to decisions taken by the Congress. The state budget increased to more than Rs 2 lakh crore because of Congress decisions, the CM said. When the BRS government handed over ORR to a company on 30 years lease before the Assembly elections. The Congress government is setting up a SIT to probe the ORR lease tenders, the CM said.