‘Land Acquisition Failure Stalled Palamuru Projects’

Despite spending nearly Rs 1.81 lakh crore on irrigation projects while in power, including around Rs 1 lakh crore on Kaleshwaram alone, BRS completely neglected Palamuru-Ranga Reddy project 

A Revanth Reddy

Chief Minister

metro india news I hyderabad

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday launched a sharp attack on the previous BRS government, alleging that the failure to complete irrigation projects in the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district stemmed from its neglect of a fundamental requirement for project execution, land acquisition.

Addressing a media conference during his second day tour of the district, the Chief Minister questioned how former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao expected projects to be completed without acquiring the required lands. He alleged that the previous regime focused primarily on spending thousands of crores on pumps, lifts and contractor bills, collecting commissions while leaving projects incomplete and without providing irrigation water to even a single acre in several command areas.

Revanth Reddy said Telangana was formed with the hope that long pending irrigation projects in the drought prone Palamuru region would be completed. However, despite spending nearly Rs.1.81 lakh crore on irrigation works during ten years of BRS rule, including around Rs.1 lakh crore on the Kaleshwaram project, the strategically important Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme was neglected, he alleged.

According to the Chief Minister, completion of the Palamuru Rangareddy project alone can facilitate the utilisation of 90 TMC of water. Combined with projects such as Jurala, Bheema, Nettempadu, Koilsagar and Kalwakurthy, the region could have secured irrigation for nearly 26 lakh acres. He claimed that while about Rs.27,000 crore was spent on the Palamuru project during the previous government, the works remained incomplete due to lack of planning and failure to undertake necessary land acquisition.

The Chief Minister stated that the Congress government spent nearly two years assessing the actual status of irrigation projects after assuming office. He said his government has spent Rs.22,000 crore on irrigation projects in the last 30 months, of which around Rs.8,000 crore was allocated to projects in the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district. At the same time, the government had to repay Rs.52,120 crore towards loans and liabilities inherited from the previous administration, compared to Rs.84,503 crore borrowed for irrigation projects during the BRS regime.

Rejecting BRS claims that 90 percent of Palamuru project works had been completed, Revanth Reddy argued that such assertions were impossible when even half of the sanctioned estimates had not been spent. He said around 4,000 acres still need to be acquired and appealed to local residents to cooperate with land acquisition efforts. Stressing that the next two years would be crucial, he pledged to complete the district's pending irrigation projects on a war footing, warning that delaying the works further would be a historic mistake.

The Chief Minister also announced plans to coordinate with Karnataka to maximise water utilisation and complete pending projects. He urged BRS leaders not to obstruct the works and maintained that the Congress government was fully committed to delivering irrigation benefits to the region.

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who accompanied the Chief Minister, said the state would witness a significant increase in irrigated ayacut over the next five years, alongside improved availability of irrigation and drinking water. He alleged that despite borrowing nearly Rs.1 lakh crore, the previous government failed to complete major projects, including Kaleshwaram, and described the diversion of water from Jurala towards Srisailam at the cost of Mahabubnagar's needs as a serious policy mistake.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister inspected key components of the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, including the Package 3 Head Regulator, Package 2 Narlapur Reservoir, Package 1 Delivery Cistern and Ellur Pump House in Kollapur. He also reviewed canal and reservoir works through aerial inspection, examined Stage 3 Pump House works at Kummera, reviewed Vattem Reservoir packages, inspected Karivena Reservoir works at Kothur. He inspected Uddandapur Reservoir works in the evening.

‘BRS Ruined Irrigation Sector’

Cong will Rebuild it: Minister Uttam

Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday accused the previous BRS government of mismanaging the irrigation sector despite spending nearly Rs 1.81 lakh crore, alleging that massive public funds were spent without delivering proportionate benefits to farmers.

Addressing a press conference along with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy after a two day inspection tour of irrigation projects in the Palamuru region, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Congress government was committed to completing all pending irrigation projects and removing long standing bottlenecks.

He alleged that shifting the water source of the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme from Jurala to Srisailam had severely harmed the interests of the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district. While nearly Rs 27,000 crore was spent on the project, he claimed not a single acre of assured ayacut was created.

The Minister said major projects including Palamuru Rangareddy, Narayanpet Kodangal, Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, Bhima and Koilsagar would be completed during the Congress government's tenure. Officials have been directed to address funding gaps, land acquisition issues, rehabilitation concerns and forest clearances to expedite works.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also asserted that the Congress government was effectively defending Telangana's rights over Krishna river waters before various legal and regulatory forums. He claimed Krishna water utilisation, agricultural acreage and paddy production had increased significantly since December 2023. Highlighting agricultural achievements, he said Telangana had become the country's leading rice producing and procurement state, with Yasangi paddy procurement crossing 71.5 lakh metric tonnes.

Assuring farmers of unprecedented irrigation development, Uttam Kumar Reddy said all pending land acquisition and clearance issues in Palamuru would be resolved within six months, paving the way for the creation of lakhs of acres of new ayacut and long term water security for the region.