Fast-track land acquisition and R&R for irrigation projects: Uttam tells officials
At a review meeting held on Saturday at the Secretariat, the Minister emphasised the need for district-level coordination, asking officials to coordinate with District Collectors to urgently address legal, administrative, and logistical issues holding up progress.
'We can't afford to lose more time,' he told officials, pressing for smoother execution at every level.
Mr. Reddy assessed project statuses across districts, identifying key stumbling blocks. He stressed that irrigation isn't just a structural need, it's essential to Telangana's farm economy and long-term food security. 'These projects must be treated as administrative priorities,' he said.
To fix the chronic land acquisition delays, he called for proactive engagement with affected landowners and communities. Compensation, rehabilitation, and resettlement, he insisted, must be handled transparently and sensitively. 'If we delay, we risk public backlash and legal trouble that could stall everything,' he warned.
'No lapses, administrative or procedural, should slow this down. Delays only raise costs and spark discontent,' he said.
Two projects received particular attention: Palamuru-Rangareddy and Sitaramasagar, both critical to irrigating large, drought-hit regions.
With monsoon inflows rising across reservoirs, the Minister also reviewed operational readiness of irrigation structures, instructing officials to stay alert, monitor levels closely, and activate emergency protocols as needed.
He emphasised the critical role of tunnel works in several key projects, especially in regions where the terrain makes open canals impractical. To boost the department's technical capabilities, the Telangana Irrigation Department is bringing in two high-profile Army officers with deep experience in tunnel construction.
General Harpal Singh, the former Engineer-in-Chief of the Indian Army, will come on board as an honorary advisor. Meanwhile, Colonel Parikshit Mehra, a globally recognised expert in tunnel engineering, will be joining the department full-time. Both officers played key roles in the construction of the Rohtang and Zojila tunnels, two of India's most challenging infrastructure undertakings.
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
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Uttarakhand to give 10% horizontal reservation to Agniveers in govt jobs
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday said the state government is preparing to give 10 per cent horizontal reservation to Agniveers in government jobs after they complete four years of military service. He made the announcement at a programme held here to honour former soldiers and family members of martyrs on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Dhami said a proposal to give 10 per cent horizontal reservation to Agniveers after they complete four years of service under the Agnipath scheme is being prepared and will soon be brought before the state cabinet for its approval. "We are preparing to give 10 per cent horizontal reservation to Agniveers in the police, transport, forest and other government departments. A proposal in this regard will soon be brought for cabinet approval. Agniveers who complete four years of service under the Agnipath scheme will get its benefits," he said. The horizontal reservation is a type of reservation that is provided across all categories, namely the General Category, as well as vertical reservation categories Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC). The Centre introduced the Agnipath scheme in 2022 for short-term induction of personnel in the Army, Navy and Air Force with an aim to bring down the age profile of the three services. The scheme provides for recruiting Agniveers youngsters between the age group of 17-and-a-half and 21 for a block period of four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for another 15 years. Several states and central forces have already taken initiative to provide reservation to Agniveers Dhami said the state government is supportive towards soldiers and their families, and spoke of many steps taken in recent years with their welfare in mind. The state government has increased the ex-gratia amount given to the families of the martyrs from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. The lumpsum and annual amount given to the soldiers decorated with gallantry awards has also been increased, he said. The ex-gratia amount of Param Vir Chakra awardees has now been increased from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore, the chief minister said. It has been decided to provide employment training in drone operation to ex-servicemen's wives and daughters as Drone Didis, Dhami said. The government is also providing the facility of free travel to Badrinath Dham to ex-servicemen, wives of soldiers and Veer Naris who have completed the age of 60 years, he said. The construction work of the grand Shaurya Sthal (Military Dham) in Dehradun in memory of the martyrs is in its final stage, he said. This Military Dham contains water from 28 rivers across the state and soil brought from the homes of martyred soldiers, he said. So far, 37 dependents of martyrs have been provided government jobs. Under this scheme, the period for applying for a government job has also been increased from two years to five years. Apart from free travel facility in Uttarakhand Roadways buses to gallantry award winners, serving and former military personnel are also being given a 25 per cent discount in stamp duty on purchase of permanent property worth up to Rs 25 lakh.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
"Soldiers Doing So Much": Justice Surya Kant, Next In Line For Chief Justice, On Legal Lifeline
Soldiers brave everything from harsh terrain to enemy fire to protect the country, and the judiciary wants to ensure it can do everything possible for them and their families, National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) Executive Chairman and the next in line to become Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant has said. On Saturday, the NALSA Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana 2025 was launched to relieve soldiers from domestic legal burdens by ensuring that they get the best possible legal representation even if they don't get leave and can't appear for court proceedings. Justice Surya Kant, who conceived and spearheaded the initiative, spoke to NDTV after the launch and said NALSA is coordinating with the defence department to ensure Army soldiers are given legal help and can focus on their jobs, which is critical for national security. "Today, we have launched the Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana 2025. Soldiers of the Army and paramilitary forces are posted in remote areas and the borders. Often, they can't even talk to their families on the phone and can't get leave. In such a situation, if there is a case against them or their family, they should not be deprived of anything. So, at NALSA, we decided to come up with a scheme in which they get legal aid, legal assistance and legal advice," Justice Kant said "To provide this facility, we spoke to the concerned wings of the defence department. We will establish legal aid clinics in district and state Sainik Boards," he added. The Supreme Court judge explained that former soldiers who have secured a legal degree and become advocates will be engaged as legal aid counsels and family members of soldiers can also serve as paralegal volunteers. To a question on Operation Sindoor, which was India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Justice Kant said every citizen of India felt proud of the soldiers. "The military, the soldiers, have made each citizen feel proud. They gave a befitting reply to the attack on our country's integrity, on innocent citizens. The response made every citizen emotional and filled them with nationalistic feelings. In such a situation, we thought that when these people are doing so much for the country, in remote areas and at the borders, we should provide them this help," he said.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Govt preparing to give 10 per cent horizontal reservation to Agniveers in govt jobs: Dhami
Dehradun, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday said the state government is preparing to give 10 per cent horizontal reservation to Agniveers in government jobs after they complete four years of military service. Govt preparing to give 10 per cent horizontal reservation to Agniveers in govt jobs: Dhami He made the announcement at a programme held here to honour former soldiers and family members of martyrs on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Dhami said a proposal to give 10 per cent horizontal reservation to Agniveers after they complete four years of service under the Agnipath scheme is being prepared and will soon be brought before the state cabinet for its approval. "We are preparing to give 10 per cent horizontal reservation to Agniveers in the police, transport, forest and other government departments. A proposal in this regard will soon be brought for cabinet approval. Agniveers who complete four years of service under the Agnipath scheme will get its benefits," he said. The horizontal reservation is a type of reservation that is provided across all categories, namely the General Category, as well as vertical reservation categories – Scheduled Tribes , Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes . The Centre introduced the Agnipath scheme in 2022 for short-term induction of personnel in the Army, Navy and Air Force with an aim to bring down the age profile of the three services. The scheme provides for recruiting Agniveers youngsters between the age group of 17-and-a-half and 21 for a block period of four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for another 15 years. Several states and central forces have already taken initiative to provide reservation to Agniveers Dhami said the state government is supportive towards soldiers and their families, and spoke of many steps taken in recent years with their welfare in mind. The state government has increased the ex-gratia amount given to the families of the martyrs from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh. The lumpsum and annual amount given to the soldiers decorated with gallantry awards has also been increased, he said. The ex-gratia amount of Param Vir Chakra awardees has now been increased from ₹50 lakh to ₹1.5 crore, the chief minister said. It has been decided to provide employment training in drone operation to ex-servicemen's wives and daughters as Drone Didis, Dhami said. The government is also providing the facility of free travel to Badrinath Dham to ex-servicemen, wives of soldiers and Veer Naris who have completed the age of 60 years, he said. The construction work of the grand Shaurya Sthal in Dehradun in memory of the martyrs is in its final stage, he said. This Military Dham contains water from 28 rivers across the state and soil brought from the homes of martyred soldiers, he said. So far, 37 dependents of martyrs have been provided government jobs. Under this scheme, the period for applying for a government job has also been increased from two years to five years. Apart from free travel facility in Uttarakhand Roadways buses to gallantry award winners, serving and former military personnel are also being given a 25 per cent discount in stamp duty on purchase of permanent property worth up to ₹25 lakh. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
