Latest news with #Pranahita-Chevella
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Harish takes a dig at Congress over Kaleshwaram project
Hyderabad: Former minister T Harish Rao on Saturday slammed the Congress for allegedly resorting to a misinformation campaign about the Kaleshwaram project and BRS leaders. Accusing irrigation minister Uttam Kumar Reddy of making baseless claims, the senior BRS leader said spreading lies about the project has become a single-point agenda for the chief minister and the minister. In a statement, Harish Rao questioned the contradiction in Congress' stance, stating that while the party continues to utilise the project's reservoirs and pump houses, it simultaneously labels the initiative a "white elephant." He noted that the Kaleshwaram project provided irrigation to over 20 lakh acres, as acknowledged by the Congress govt itself in the White Paper and a report by their engineers, which confirmed new irrigation and stabilisation for over 20 lakh acres. He dismissed Congress' criticism of loans taken from central institutions and banks, asserting that, unlike Congress, the BRS did not rely on middlemen or pay 170 crore in bribes to secure funds. Harish Rao also questioned why the Congress, during its seven-year rule at the state and central levels, failed to secure permissions or initiate any construction at Tummidihetti. "Not a single shovel of soil was moved, nor a brick was laid," he remarked, accusing the party of hiding this truth. He further alleged that the Congress govt had misappropriated 2,328 crore under the guise of mobilisation advances for the Pranahita-Chevella project, which showed no progress. Calling the Congress' talk of corruption as hypocritical, the senior BRS leader likened it to "ghosts reciting scriptures" or "tigers preaching vegetarianism." He emphasised that the BRS govt had abolished the practice of mobilisation advances to prevent the misuse of public funds. Reaffirming his commitment to defending the Kaleshwaram project, Harish Rao stated that the BRS is ready to present facts anytime, anywhere.
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Those responsible for failure of Kaleshwaram Barrages can't escape punishment: Minister Uttam Reddy
HYDERABAD If any government in the State had harmed the interests of farmers and people, including in the irrigation sector, it was that of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) during the 2014-23 period, Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged here on Friday. The Minister also condemned the remarks of BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, who blamed the Congress for the damage suffered by the Medigadda Barrage of the Kaleshwaram project and reasoned that it could be out of fear to appear before the Justice P.C. Ghose Commission of Inquiry into the irregularities in the project. 'They are shivering with the instance of just getting notices from the inquiry Commission. In case they had not committed anything wrong, why are they hesitating to depose before the judicial panel?', he said, adding that if at all they had any suspicion of bombs for the barrage damage, they could as well tell it before the Commission. Besides, it was BRS that was in power when the damage had taken place, and they could have revealed the conspiracy. They were shamelessly trying to cover up their mistakes, and the correspondence between the irrigation department and the work agency L&T shows that the barrage had problems from the beginning. He explained that the Congress government had instituted a judicial probe to find the facts and take action as per law. The CAG, NDSA and Vigilance had all faulted the lapses in every stage of their execution, he noted. Referring to the Pranahita-Chevella project taken up by the previous Congress in 2007, he said it was planned with ₹38,000 crore and ₹10,000 crore was spent on canals. Only one lift could have brought water from Tummidihatti Barrage to Yellampally reservoir with 100 km of gravity flow. The network thereafter was included in the Pranahita Chevella project itself and the same was executed as part of Kaleshwaram. Of the ₹1 lakh crore spent so far on Kaleshwaram, ₹62,000 crore could have been saved and it could have been used for completing Palamuru-Rangareddy, Devadula, SLBC, Dindi, Sita Rama, Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, Koilsagar, Bhima and others. He reminded that the CAG report had termed Kaleshwaram as a 'white elephant' for Telangana. The Minister reiterated that those responsible cannot escape punishment as their mistakes had cost the State ₹21,000 crore spent on the Link-I of the Kaleshwaram project, which comprises three barrages and their pump houses to carry water to Yellampalli.
New Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Congress government to rectify injustice meted to Telangana in Krishna water share: Minister Uttam Kumar
SURYAPET: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday said the Congress government was determined to secure Telangana's rightful share of Krishna river waters, correcting what he called a 'historic betrayal' by the previous BRS regime. Addressing the media in Chintalapalem mandal, Uttam accused the BRS of surrendering Telangana's rights by accepting a mere 299 tmcft out of the total 811 tmcft water allocation from the Krishna river, leaving 512 tmcft to Andhra Pradesh. 'It wasn't a negotiation; it was a sellout, and in writing,' he said. He said the Congress government has reversed this approach and reopened the case before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, demanding a 70:30 share for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, respectively, based on catchment area, cultivable land, drought conditions and population. 'Our goal is to green the drought-hit districts of Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda and Khammam through targeted irrigation,' he said. 'KLIS, a monument of waste' Slamming the BRS's record, Uttam called the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project a 'historic blunder' that cost the state `1 lakh crore while leaving farmers high and dry. 'If the BRS had stuck to the original Pranahita-Chevella project planned by the Congress at Rs 38,000 crore, Telangana could have completed 10 major irrigation projects. Instead, Rs 62,000 crore was sunk into a single failed project with three collapsed barrages,' he said. He accused the previous BRS government of scrapping the efficient and cost-effective blueprint prepared under former chief minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy and opting for an inflated project at Medigadda for political optics. 'This wasn't irrigation, it was inflation,' he said, alleging massive corruption and calling Kaleshwaram a 'non-functional project with irreversible financial loss'. Uttam said the Rs 62,000 crore wasted on KLIP could have completed long-pending Krishna basin projects such as Palamuru-Rangareddy, Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, Bhima, Koilsagar, Dindi, Devadula, Sitarama Sagar and the SLBC tunnel. 'Instead of building a robust irrigation network, BRS built a monument of waste. We could have solved the irrigation crisis permanently,' he said.
Hans India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Uttam vows to secure fair share of Krishna waters for Telangana
Hyderabad: State Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday vowed that the Congress government would fight to secure a fair share of Krishna river waters for Telangana, correcting what he called a 'historic betrayal' by the previous BRS regime. 'The BRS government surrendered Telangana's rights by accepting just 299 tmcft out of the total 811 tmcft Krishna river allocation, leaving 512 tmcft to Andhra Pradesh – and that too in writing. It was not a negotiation; it was a sellout,' Uttam said. He declared that the Congress government has reversed this approach and is now firmly defending Telangana's claims. 'We have reopened the issue before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal and are demanding a 70:30 ratio – 70 per cent for Telangana and 30 per cent for Andhra Pradesh – based on catchment area, cultivable land, drought-prone zones and population,' he said. Uttam Kumar Reddy added that he is the only Irrigation Minister in the country to personally attend the state's case in the water tribunal. 'Our government is committed to correcting every wrong committed by the BRS,' he said. He said the goal is to green the drought-hit districts of the former Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda, and Khammam regions by fully utilising Krishna waters through targeted irrigation projects. Rs 62,000 crore wasted on Kaleshwaram Slamming the BRS government's irrigation legacy, Uttam called the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project a historic blunder that drained Rs 1 lakh crore from the state exchequer while neglecting the real irrigation needs of Telangana. 'If the previous government had stuck to the original Pranahita-Chevella project designed by the Congress at an estimated cost of Rs 38,000 crore, Telangana could've completed at least 10 major irrigation projects. Instead, Rs 62,000 crore was wasted on a single project that ended in structural failure and financial disaster,' he said. He accused the BRS of dismantling the Pranahita-Chevella blueprint prepared under former Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, which aimed to bring both Krishna and Godavari waters to the state in an efficient, cost-effective manner. 'They abandoned that vision and built Kaleshwaram at Medigadda for political optics. The result? Three collapsed barrages and no benefit to farmers,' he said. Uttam alleged that Kaleshwaram became a vehicle for massive corruption. 'This wasn't irrigation; it was inflation. A Rs 38,000 crore plan was inflated to Rs 1 lakh crore. Now we are left with a non-functional project and irreversible financial loss,' he said.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Money spent on Kaleshwaram could have completed pending projects: Uttam
Hyderabad: Irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy , on Wednesday, said that the previous BRS govt had spent an additional 62,000 crore on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) by inflating the original cost of the Pranahita-Chevella project (38,000 crore), for vested interests. This money could have been used to complete the Palamuru-Rangareddy, Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, Bhima, Koilsagar, Dindi, Devadula, Sitarama Sagar and SLBC tunnel projects, as well as other long-awaited initiatives, he claimed. The minister held a review meeting on irrigation projects in Kodad, after the helicopter carrying him to the project site in the Huzurnagar constituency landed in Kodad due to inclement weather. "Instead of building a good irrigation network, the previous govt chose to build the Kaleshwaram project, the three barrages of which collapsed without benefiting the farmers. We could have ensured water for southern Telangana, completed multiple lift schemes and permanently solved the irrigation crisis. But Kaleshwaram ate it all," he said. The minister said that chief minister A Revanth Reddy has now taken up the revival and completion of all Krishna River Basin projects , having recently held a four-hour review. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thousands Are Saving Money Using This Wall Plug elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Click Here Undo Funds are being allocated to ensure the projects are completed on time. During the review of ongoing lift irrigation projects with senior officials and contractors, Uttam directed them to submit firm deadlines and warned them of penalties for delays. He also appealed to local communities and elected representatives for assistance with land acquisition and on-the-ground coordination. Key projects currently in progress include the Rajiv Gandhi Lift Irrigation Scheme, which aims to irrigate 14,100 acres at a cost of 394 crore. The Muktyala branch canal lift scheme will cover 53,000 acres at a cost of 1,450 crore. This project includes four 16 MW pumps and will benefit 19,295 families across 23 villages in three mandals. The minister said that the Congress govt is fighting to secure a fair share of Krishna river waters for Telangana. "The previous BRS govt surrendered Telangana's water rights by accepting just 299 TMC out of the total 811 TMC Krishna river allocation, leaving 512 TMC for Andhra Pradesh — and they did so in writing," he said at a press conference after the review. The Congress govt has reversed its approach and is now defending Telangana's claims. "We have reopened the issue before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal and are demanding a 70:30 ratio — 70% for Telangana and 30% for Andhra Pradesh — based on catchment area, cultivable land, drought-prone zones and population," he said, adding, "Our aim is to make the drought-stricken districts of Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda and Khammam more fertile by making full use of the waters of the Krishna River through targeted irrigation projects. "
