SIDDIPET: Accusing the Union government of obstructing funding for various projects, including irrigation water projects by imposing needless conditions, Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Thursday said that despite the hurdles, the State government would continue to work for the development and growth of Telangana.
“The Center is creating obstacles to Telangana taking loans from the Power Finance Corporation and REC and is discriminating against our State. Despite the non-cooperation of the Union government, Telangana, under the leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, is developing rapidly,” Harish Rao said.
Speaking after releasing water from the Ranganaiksagar project in Siddipet on Thursday to coincide with the birthday of the Chief Minister, Harish Rao said: “If a man named K Chandrasekhar Rao had not been there, a State named Telangana would not have existed, there would have been no Kaleshwaram project, and irrigation water would not have come to Siddipet which was once known to be drought-hit.”
He cut a cake to celebrate the Chief Minister’s 68th birthday. “KCR was born for a reason and for a great cause. The credit goes to KCR for transforming dry Telangana into green Telangana. With the best economic policies, Telangana’s GDP has doubled in the last seven years,” Harish Rao said.He pointed out that Telangana is the No. 1 State in the country in terms of per capita income.
As per the aspirations of the farmers, irrigation water was released through the Ranganaik Sagar left canal. Along with Siddipet district, Sircilla, Manakonduru and Husnabad constituencies will receive irrigation water through the left canal, Harish Rao said.
“In undivided AP, rabi crop used to mean burning pump sets and burnt transformers. Borewells were dug everywhere, but very few yielded water. Now, Kaleshwaram project, which was completed in merely 3.5 years, has brought about a sea change. Now, there is 24x7 power, timely fertilisers and seeds for farmers,” he said.
Afterwards, Harish Rao visited Gajwel where he said that he would request the Chief Minister to set up a stadium of international standards. In the evening, the Minister visited the Mallannasagar project to review the arrangements being made ahead of the Chief Minister’s visit to inaugurate the project on February 23.