Godavari-Banakacherla row: Revanth Reddy hints at moving SC; Centre may call Apex Council meet soon with him & Chandrababu Naidu
HYDERABAD: With tensions escalating between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over the proposed Godavari-Banakacherla link project, the Centre is likely to convene an Apex Council meeting soon, bringing both chief ministers to the table to resolve the contentious water sharing dispute.
The Apex Council-last convened in Oct 2020-is headed by Union jal shakti minister CR Patil.
CM A Revanth Reddy and irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who met Patil in Delhi on Thursday, said the Union minister had assured them that the meeting would be held soon. During the hour-long meeting, Revanth made it clear that Telangana would not compromise on its water interests under any circumstances. He conveyed to the minister that while the state was open to resolving disputes through dialogue, it would approach the Supreme Court if the Centre's actions were not in Telangana's favour.
Revanth proposed an alternative plan, stating that if AP truly believed surplus water was available in the Godavari, the Centre could consider linking the Icchampally-Nagarjuna Sagar route to lift water to the Penna basin, instead of Polavaram-Banakacherla. This, he said, could be centrally funded. The CM also urged the Centre to expedite the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II verdict.
The CM urged Patil to intervene and halt all works initiated by the AP govt on the Banakacherla project, and to reject the pre-feasibility report submitted by AP on the link project.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Scam Exposed: What They Won't Tell You about zero trust!
Expertinspector
Click Here
Undo
Revanth and Uttam argued that the Banakacherla project violates the interests of Telangana, as well as the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (1980) and the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. They expressed concern over how the Union finance ministry and environment ministry appeared to be fast-tracking approvals for AP's projects while neglecting Telangana's.
Revanth said AP's claim of basing the Banakacherla project on Godavari floodwaters had no legal or technical standing.
"There is no mention of floodwaters or surplus waters in the GWDT-1980," he said, arguing that the entire project lacks regulatory grounding.
Revanth reminded the Union minister that as per the Reorganisation Act, new inter-state projects must first be cleared by the Godavari River Management Board, Central Water Commission, and the Apex Council. "The AP govt violated mandatory procedures and is going ahead with project. Their claim that project is based on floodwaters is not only misleading but has no statutory support," he said.
Uttam said Patil responded positively and confirmed that his ministry had not received any detailed project report related to Banakacherla from AP so far.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
11 minutes ago
- Business Standard
PM Modi lays foundation stones for projects worth over ₹5,900 cr in Bihar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched 28 development projects worth more than ₹5,900 crore in Bihar's Siwan district. Modi inaugurated the new VaishaliDeoria railway line project, built at a cost of over ₹400 crore, and flagged off a new train service on this route. Additionally, in a major boost to connectivity in north Bihar, Modi also flagged off the Vande Bharat Express between Patliputra (Patna) and Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah. Further promoting the Make in India Make for the World' initiative, Modi flagged off a state-of-the-art locomotive built at Marhowra plant for export to the Republic of Guinea. The locomotive is equipped with high-horsepower engines, advanced AC propulsion systems, microprocessor-based controls, ergonomic cab designs, and regenerative braking. In line with his commitment to conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga, the PM inaugurated six Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) under the Namami Gange project, worth over ₹1,800 crore. He also laid the foundation stone for additional water supply, sanitation and STP projects across Bihar, totaling Rs 3,000 crore. In a major thrust to the energy sector, the PM laid the foundation stone for a 500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) across 15 grid substations in the state, including those in Muzaffarpur, Motihari, Bettiah, and Siwan. With each substation to house 2080 MWh capacity batteries, the system is expected to help discoms reduce peak-hour electricity costs and enhance supply reliability. These units will save the distribution companies from buying electricity at expensive rates by feeding the already-stored electricity back to the grid, benefiting the consumers, an official said. Modi also handed over the first instalment to more than 53,600 beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas YojanaUrban (PMAY-U) and marked the Grih Pravesh ceremony for over 6,600 completed houses by handing over keys to select beneficiaries. Earlier in the day, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Samrat Choudhary, in a post on X wrote, Today the people of Bihar are eagerly waiting for Modi ji, from energy to railways, from housing to (the PM) is bringing many gifts for the people of the state during his 51st visit to Bihar today. Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, Union ministers and several officials were present on the occasion.
Indian Express
33 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Calcutta High Court's MGNREGA order underlines people shouldn't suffer for the corruption of a few
Written by Purbayan Chakraborty and Mrinalini Paul In a recent verdict, the Calcutta High Court has directed the Centre to resume work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme in West Bengal from August 1. The Centre, through an earlier order dated March 9, 2022, stopped releasing funds for the scheme, citing irregularities under Section 27 of the Act. In May 2023, Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity, a rural workers' trade union, filed a petition in the HC challenging the suspension. The HC order is a much-awaited relief for the state and its millions of NREGA workers. The Right to Livelihood is a fundamental right that flows from Article 21 of the Constitution. Any executive action that seeks to curtail a fundamental right must pass the proportionality test as laid down and consistently employed by the Supreme Court in a series of cases like Association for Democratic Reforms v. Union of India (2024). The test requires that any such executive measure hold a legitimate objective and follow suitable means. It also mandates the use of an equally effective alternative. The impact on the individual's right must not be out of proportion to the objective being pursued. The irregularities were found in only a few of West Bengal's more than 3300 gram panchayats. Instead of taking targeted corrective action, the Centre chose to issue a state-wide blanket stoppage of funds under MGNREGA, rendering millions of rural workers unemployed. This action was neither the least restrictive nor proportionate to the objective that was being pursued. Hence, it failed the proportionality test on both counts. Section 27 of the Act empowers the Centre to stop the funds under the MGNREGA scheme as a last resort in cases of proven irregularities. But it also places a corresponding duty on it to employ remedial measures in a time-bound manner and resume implementation of the scheme within a reasonable period of time. However, in this case, even after more than three years, the Centre failed to resume funding. Therefore, the HC rightly held: 'The scheme of the act does not envisage a situation where it would be put to cold storage for eternity.' Section 27 balances accountability with livelihood — that balance was breached in this case. The HC's order is a reaffirmation that executive in the exercise of their discretionary powers cannot go beyond statutory or constitutional limitations. Corruption is grave but not uncommon in our country. But should the vulnerable people suffer due to corruption at higher levels? The funding was stopped at a time when the MGNREGA could have been a coping mechanism, especially for the thousands of poor rural workers who had returned home due to Covid. Unpaid wages and no new work in sight forced them further towards a vicious cycle of poverty, indebtedness, migration and malnutrition. The deprivation of the state and its population doesn't stop in MNREGA; it extends to other central schemes as well. The Ministry of Rural Development has informed a parliamentary panel that almost Rs 8,000 crore is yet to be released under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMA-G) for West Bengal. In 2023, the state accused the Centre of stopping funds for Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY). However, the then Union Minister Smriti Irani refuted these allegations, saying that the state government was misusing funds and Rs 260 crore 'were lying unused'. West Bengal is also one of the three states in the country that refused to comply with the PM SHRI scheme and, as a result, has not received any funding for the Samagra Shiksha scheme (2024-25). However, the state government's response has been very confusing. Apart from playing the victim, it has rarely seemed to pursue logical or legal action. Often, it rushed to launch the state equivalent of the schemes that are blocked by the Centre. This happened even in the case of MGNREGA. The state launched the Karmashree scheme in 2024, under which every MGNREGA job cardholder household is supposed to get 50 days of work in a year. Launched just before the general elections, in no way, does it match the meticulous provisions of MGNREGA. For instance, Karmashree does not have any separately allocated budget |nor any mention of unemployment allowance. While the HC Order comes as an immediate respite to the state's 257 lakh registered NREGA workers, governments should read its larger message against 'weaponising schemes'. That corruption will not be tolerated is explicit in the order, as the HC empowered the Centre to impose special conditions on the state so that past issues do not recur. But that doesn't mean that people's lives and livelihoods could be compromised. With the assembly elections scheduled next year, the order has been hailed as a victory by both the TMC and BJP, but the real victory lies in the warning of the judiciary that they dare not mix up the politics of corruption and politics of welfare further. Chakraborty is a Kolkata-based lawyer and Paul is a researcher at TISS
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
PM Modi holds massive roadshow in Bihar's Siwan; Nitish Kumar says ‘Have you ever seen such a big crowd?'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a roadshow and greeted people at a public meeting in Bihar's Siwan, where he laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects, including in the water, rail, and power sectors. Narendra Modi was accompanied by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a key ally, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha—both senior BJP leaders—in a clear display of unity within the NDA. The alliance is gearing up for the critical assembly elections set to take place in the coming months. PM Modi greeted Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as he took the stage at a public meeting in Siwan. CM Nitish Kumar said, 'You must recall what was the situation prior to the NDA government in the state. The opposition is spreading canards. They must be asked what the situation was before our government was formed. People could go out of their houses... the situation was so bad. You all have gathered in such huge numbers to listen to PM Modi. I congratulate you all.' Modi also handed over the first instalment to more than 53,600 beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY-U) and marked the Grih Pravesh ceremony for over 6,600 completed houses by handing over keys to select beneficiaries. Prime Minister Modi launched 28 development projects worth more than ₹ 5,900 crore in Bihar's Siwan district. Modi inaugurated the new Vaishali–Deoria railway line project, built at a cost of over ₹ 400 crore, and flagged off a new train service on this route. Earlier in the day, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Samrat Choudhary, in a post on X wrote, 'Today the people of Bihar are eagerly waiting for Modi ji, from energy to railways, from housing to export…..he (the PM) is bringing many gifts for the people of the state during his 51st visit to Bihar today'. Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, Union ministers and several officials were present on the occasion. (With inputs from agencies)
