The Union government has sanctioned a Central Tribal University in the Mulugu district of Telangana as well as a National Turmeric Board for the turmeric farmers in the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday, 1 October.
PM Modi was addressing a public meeting in Mahbubnagar district in the poll-bound state.
The tribal varsity will be called 'Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University', named after tribal goddesses Sammakka and Sarakka, and the Centre will spend Rs 900 crore to set it up, the PM added.
Stating that India is a "prime producer, consumer, and exporter of turmeric," he said:
"Farmers of Telangana produce turmeric in huge quantities. After COVID, awareness about turmeric has increased and global demand has also increased. From value addition to providing infrastructure, the turmeric board will assist the farmers of Telangana."
A turmeric board has been a long-pending demand of turmeric farmers of the Nizamabad district in Telangana, which had triggered protests in the past. In fact, the BJP MP of Nizamabad district, Dharmapuri Arvind, had come under fire from farmers in the district for failing to keep his poll promise of setting up a national turmeric board.
PM Lays Foundation of Projects Worth Over Rs 13,500 Cr
PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for various developmental projects worth over Rs 13,500 crore in Telangana on Sunday.
The key road projects included the 108-km-long four-lane access-controlled Greenfield highway from Warangal to Khammam, a 90-km-long four-lane access-controlled greenfield highway from Khammam to Vijayawada, and the four-laning of 59-km-long Suryapet to Khammam section of NH-365BB.
He also inaugurated a new railway line in Narayanpet district and oil and gas pipeline projects in the state.
Addressing a gathering at Mahabubnagar, he said, as per ANI:
"The government of Telangana is a car but the steering wheel is in the hands of someone else... The progress of Telangana has been halted by two family-run parties. Both of these family-run parties are known for their corruption and commission. Both of these parties have the same formula. The party is of the family, by the family, and for the family... These people are turning democracy into a family dynasty."
Posters Criticising PM Crop Up Ahead of Visit
Ahead of the prime minister's visit to the state on Sunday afternoon, several posters criticising the BJP at the Centre cropped up near the Shamshabad airport, where PM Modi landed. The posters were allegedly linked to the supporters of the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi.
They questioned the PM over the Centre's "unfulfilled promises to Telangana."
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