The State government is trying to get Indian Institute of Management (IIM) at Warangal as part of its efforts to develop the city into an educational hub, said Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari.

Speaking to newsmen here on Sunday, he said as promised by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, a veterinary college, agricultural college and a branch of Hyderabad Public School would start functioning from the ensuing academic year.

Since Andhra Pradesh got IIM, the Telangana government was also pursuing for an IIM in the State which is likely to come up in Warangal by next year.

According to him, the State government was spending Rs. 5,000 crore for building 240 Gurukul schools. It also envisages provision of employment to 7,000 people in the project.

“The construction of each of these schools would cost Rs. 20 crore. We are planning to complete the construction of schools in next three years. In Warangal district, a total of 25 Gurukul Schools will come up and 11 of them are reserved for the Scheduled Castes, six for the Scheduled Tribes, four Minorities and four girls colleges,” he explained.

Mr. Srihari, who also holds the education portfolio, said the Education Department has decided to start teaching English medium in 400 schools from the current academic year.

Barrage

Mr. Srihari said the government is also planning to build a barrage across river Godavari near intake well at Devadula project in Gangaram village in Eturunagaram mandal.

The barrage will help store more water and enable the administration draw water from the river as and when required.

Presently, only 38 tmcft of water is being drawn from Devadula project in 175 days a year.

To lift 100 tmcft of water for 365 days a year, it was proposed to construct a barrage downstream of the Godavari intake well with an estimated cost of Rs. 1,600 crore.
Efforts are on to build another reservoir at Station Ghanpur which can hold 10 to 12tmc of water.

“These two initiatives will help solve permanently the drinking water problem of people in Warangal city,” Mr Srihari said. The Deputy Chief Minister visited the Dharmasagar reservoir which is being filled with water pumped from Devadula project to tackle the prevailing drinking water crisis.