Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will participate in the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting scheduled for Saturday — his first attendance since assuming office in December 2023. Last year, Reddy had boycotted the meeting after Telangana was overlooked in the Union Budget.

This time, however, he is expected to be vocal about the reduction in central grants and to seek funds for his flagship projects, particularly as the state government is facing a severe cash crunch.

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His Andhra Pradesh counterpart, N Chandrababu Naidu, has already reached the national capital and spent the entire day meeting various Union ministers to secure funding and approvals for multiple projects.

After several years, Telangana will once again be represented at the NITI Aayog meeting, with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy attending in person. His predecessor, K Chandrashekar Rao, had repeatedly skipped NITI Aayog meetings and similar forums during his second term, dismissing them as ceremonial gatherings with little substantive outcome. Last year, Reddy followed a similar path by boycotting the meeting, citing the Centre’s neglect of Telangana in the Union Budget.

Although this year’s Union Budget also offered little to Telangana, the state government is now hoping to secure funds from the Centre to support its development agenda. At a public rally earlier today, Reddy said, “We will seek help from the central government for the development of the state. We will meet Prime Minister Modi as many times as necessary to obtain the funds due to Telangana. Politics is for elections — we will move forward by including everyone in the cause of development.”

The Chief Minister is expected to raise the issue of reduced central grant allocations, which have significantly impacted key sectors such as education. In addition, he will press for central funding for his flagship initiatives including the Musi Rejuvenation project, the Future City development, and the second phase of the Hyderabad Metro Rail.

Reddy is also expected to urge the Centre to begin work on the Regional Ring Road and support his proposals for a Regional Ring Rail and a dry port. He will likely highlight the Telangana Rising initiative, aimed at boosting the state’s industrial growth and economic development.