Hyderabad, Sep 15 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday sought the cooperation of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in various development initiatives being undertaken by the state government.
The Chief Minister's request came as he met Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, the 50th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and Chairman of the AKDN, who is currently on a visit to India.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), it was a courtesy call at Taj Falaknuma Palace here.
During the meeting, they discussed various development and heritage conservation initiatives being undertaken in Telangana with the support of the Aga Khan Foundation.
Recalling the AKDN’s contributions to the state, the Chief Minister said that the Telangana government holds the Aga Khan Foundation in high regard for its significant role in preserving and restoring the state’s rich heritage.
He also recalled the long-standing historical association between Hyderabad and the Aga Khan family.
He specifically highlighted the restoration of the Legislative Council building and the Qutub Shahi Tombs in Hyderabad with the Foundation’s support.
The Chief Minister briefed Prince Rahim Aga Khan V on the plans being prepared for the rejuvenation of the Musi River as part of the comprehensive redevelopment of Hyderabad.
He said the government is also working towards developing a vibrant night-time economy along the Musi River corridor. The Chief Minister sought the Foundation’s cooperation in the restoration and conservation of the historic City College and the Osmania General Hospital buildings located along the Musi riverfront.
CM Revanth Reddy said that a new building for Osmania General Hospital is being constructed at Goshamahal and that the existing hospital building is proposed to be conserved and developed as a heritage asset.
The Chief Minister invited Prince Rahim Aga Khan V to attend the three-day Invest Telangana global summit to be held at Bharat Future City from December 7 to 9. He said that representatives from more than 100 countries are expected to participate in the summit.
He noted that Bharat Future City is being developed across 30,000 acres with state-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities. Located approximately 20 minutes from the international airport, the proposed Future City is envisioned as a fully net-zero city. He said that a Singapore-based company is preparing the master plan for Future City, with nearly 15,000 acres earmarked as a green zone.
The Chief Minister noted that leading organisations such as Amazon have already commenced operations in Future City. He further stated that the Telangana government is working towards increasing the state’s contribution to India’s GDP to 10 per cent by 2047.
Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammed Azharuddin, Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju, Advisor K. Ramakrishna Rao, senior government officials and representatives of the Aga Khan Foundation were present during the meeting.
Telangana CM seeks AKDN's cooperation for development initiatives
