Hyderabad :

Contribute for the development or restoration of a lake and get it named after your or your dear ones. This is the method to be adopted by the state government to get participation from the people, particularly non-resident Indians of Telangana origin, in the development of lakes in the state.

As multitude of people joined their hands in achieving statehood for Telangana, the state government now wants to involve the same collective energy to realise its proposed goal of golden Telangana.

To restore minor irrigation and to restore lakes in Telangana, the government wants NRIs to chip in for this ambitious project. Irrigation minister T Harish Rao drafted an open letter to NRIs persuading them to adopt lakes and to extend an helping hand in sprucing up the local water bodies.

The minister claimed that already three NRIs had promised to take part in ‘Mission Kakatiya’ project slated to begin in January.

Hailing the efforts of NRIs in achieving Telangana, the minister said the Telangana expatriate community had played a vital role in mobilising support for Telangana cause worldwide.

“Despite staying away from the homeland, you are emotionally connected to the region. The people of Telangana acknowledge how you had longed for a separate state,” he said in his letter addressed to NRIs.

In realisation of the promises, made during the Telangana movement, the state government felt that restoration of lakes is an important programme which can contribute to the holistic development of the Telangana’s countryside, he pointed out.

Recognising the contributions made by the Kakatiya rulers, he said chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao christened the project asw ‘Mission Kakatiya’.

The minister urged the NRIs to take part in the restoration of lakes in their native villages. Based on the name proposed by the donor, the restored lake would get its new name, he said.

“If you wish the lake to get your father’s or mother’s name or perhaps your name, the government will approve that name officially,” he told them and added that organisations can also chip in for the cause.

He informed that he would conduct a tele-conference with NRIs in January to drum up support for the flagship project of the TRS government.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by Express News Service / December 22nd, 2014