Palamuru-Ranga Reddy project to be completed by Dec. 2026: Uttam

* The project will also supply drinking water to surrounding villages and support industrial use by lifting 90 TMC of flood water for 60 days from the foreshore of the Srisailam Project on the Krishna River

-Uttam Kumar Reddy

metro india news  I hyderabad :

Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday reiterated the Congress government’s commitment to completing the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) by December 2026. 

Replying to a question in the Council, Uttam Kumar Reddy assured that the project remains a top priority for the government and dismissed allegations of neglect. He outlined the detailed status of the project, emphasising that significant progress has been made in both physical and financial terms. He informed the House that PRLIS is being executed in 18 packages, including four lift packages and 14 civil works packages. The main works include approach channels, open canals, tunnels, pump houses, and reservoirs, spanning four major stages.

He stated that the Stage-I pumping station was successfully commissioned on September 16, 2023, while the Stage-II, Stage-III, and Stage-IV pumping stations are nearing completion and are expected to be commissioned shortly. These developments mark significant milestones in addressing irrigation and drinking water needs in Telangana’s drought-prone areas.

Uttam Kumar Reddy noted that Rs 32,305 crore has been spent on the project so far, against the initial administrative approval of Rs. 35,200 crore. However, he highlighted that an additional Rs. 33,201 crore will be required to complete the remaining works, bringing the total project cost to approximately Rs 65,506 crore. He added that the government has already taken steps to secure the necessary funding and clearances to ensure timely completion.

PRLIS is designed to irrigate 12.3 lakh acres across districts including Nagarkurnool, Mahabubnagar, Vikarabad, Ranga Reddy, Narayanpet, and Nalgonda. The project will also supply drinking water to surrounding villages and support industrial use by lifting 90 TMC of flood water for 60 days from the foreshore of the Srisailam Project on the Krishna River. The balance ayacut works are in progress, with tenders floated for canals and reservoirs like Venkata, Kurumurthy, and Udandapur, amounting to Rs 6,988 crore.

Uttam Kumar Reddy clarified that environmental and technical clearances from the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF&CC) are being processed. He assured that the approvals are on track and will not delay the project timeline. On land acquisition, the Minister revealed that of the required 27,047 acres, about 26,872 acres have already been acquired, with the remaining 175 acres in progress. 

Refuting allegations of neglect, he underlined that PRLIS is a high-priority project aimed at addressing the state’s irrigation needs while also supplying drinking water and industrial resources. “This project is critical to ensuring water security and agricultural development in Telangana’s underserved districts. The government is fully committed to completing it as planned,” he said. 

The Minister strongly condemned the BRS MLCs, led by K Kavitha, for creating pandemonium in the House over alleged project delays. He criticised the previous BRS government, headed by then Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, for spending over Rs. 27,500 crore without creating ayacut for even a single acre of land.

Further, he dismissed claims that 90% of the project was completed under the BRS regime, stating that the previous government had not obtained the required clearances from agencies like the Central Water Commission (CEC) and MOEF&CC. He noted that the Congress government is now working on securing these clearances. He said not even 50% of the estimated funds were spent on the project.