Shankar Rao wants Rs 1,000 Cr for his department

Handlooms and Textiles Minister Dr P Shankar Rao on Wednesday said that his ministry would seek allocation of Rs 1,000 crore in the next budget.

Talking to reporters at the State Secretariat after releasing APCO's calendar, Dr Shankar Rao said that all departments in his ministry were in bad shape and need immediate financial assistance. Therefore, he would seek allocation of at least Rs 1,000 crore for his ministry from Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy during the next State budget.

Reiterating the allegations of irregularities in allotment in weaker sections housing scheme in his constituency, the minister said of 1,588 houses constructed at five places in Secunderabad Cantonment constituency, nearly 600 were allotted to deserving applicants. There were irregularities in the allotment of at least 913 houses by some officials of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.

Demanding a detailed probe into the allotment process, he said that the State Government cancel the allotment and replace the beneficiaries with the deserving applicants.