Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy accused the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project of being a blot and not a boon for the state due to widespread corruption. He alleged that the former BRS government had redesigned the Pranahita-Chevella project with the aim of making easy money and by doing so, had made the state bankrupt through indiscriminate borrowings over the last decade. Revanth Reddy held former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and former minister for irrigation T. Harish Rao responsible for harming the interests of Telangana in irrigation, from securing the rightful share in river waters of Krishna and Godavari to large-scale corruption in the execution of projects.
The then BRS government went ahead with redesigning the project and took up Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages and multiple lifts with the aim of making easy money, according to allege the Chief Minister. The debate in the State Legislative Assembly saw heated exchanges between Harish Rao and Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, who presented a white paper through a powerpoint presentation.
Harish Rao launched a counter attack terming the white paper a ‘pack of lies’ and voiced the doubt that the Congress government wants Medigadda barrage to collapse. Tensions continued to rise as members of ruling Congress and opposition BRS traded allegations over Kaleshwaram project, the reports of National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and Comptroller and Auditor General of India, and other irrigation projects, as well as on protecting the state’s interests in Godavari and Krishna waters.
The debate ended with the Chief Minister suggesting Harish Rao give a confession statement during the sitting/retired judge probe into Kaleshwaram irregularities and accused the BRS government of increasing the cost of the Pranahita-Chevella project from Rs 39,000 crore to Rs 1.47 lakh crore by renaming and redesigning it.
The article covers Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s allegations against the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project, stating the accusations of widespread corruption and mishandling of irrigation projects. It also details the heated debates and exchanges between the ruling Congress and opposition BRS, as well as the accusations and counter-accusations regarding the projects and their execution.
