HYDERABAD: A day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleged massive corruption by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao by ‘’re-designing’’ irrigation projects, irrigation minister T Harish Rao advised Gandhi to be ‘’careful with his script writers.’’
Harish Rao took to Twitter to counter the allegations levelled by Rahul Gandhi who had alleged that the irrigation projects were redesigned in the state for pocketing money. Rahul Gandhi also mentioned that the total cost of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) was Rs 1 lakh crore. Reacting to these allegations, Harish Rao tweeted to Rahul Gandhi:
“Your scriptwriters do not know that Central Water Commission approved Kaleshwaram project cost for Rs 80,190 crore only. Not Rs 1 lakh crore @RahulGandhi Ji”.Harish Rao also said that the Congress jacked up the cost of Pranahita-Chevella project, even before the actual commencement of the project.
“You have told that in the name of redesign of Kaleshwaram project, cost is enhanced to Rs 1 lakh crore from Rs 38,000 crore. Your scriptwriters had forgotten that Pranahitha-Chevella first GO was issued for Rs 17,000 crore. Within one year, even without starting project, work cost was enhanced to Rs 38,000 crore in 2008 and by 2010 prepared DPR for Rs 40,000 crore. Can you explain why cost of the project increased?” Harish said.