HYDERABAD: The Centre on Thursday told the Lok Sabha that the State government has not submitted any proposal to the Jal Shakti Ministry seeking National Project status for Kaleshwaram and Palamuru Rangareddy lift irrigation schemes.
The Centre’s submission comes in the backdrop of the BRS government regularly criticising it for not granting National Project status to any project in Telangana, especially Kaleshwaram. Even during the recently concluded Budget session of the Telangana Assembly, BRS leaders lambasted the Centre for not sanctioning National Project status to KLIS.
Replying to a question by Congress MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu said that for inclusion of a project for funding under the National Projects (NP) scheme of Jal Shakti Ministry, it is required to be first appraised by Central Water Commission (CWC), and accepted by the Advisory Committee on Irrigation, Flood Control and Multipurpose Projects.
Stating that the State government has to submit a proposal in the prescribed format for the inclusion of the project under the NP scheme, Tudu said that as per norms laid down for the NP scheme, the project is then required to be considered by the ‘High Powered Steering Committee’ (HPSC) that will examine whether it meets the contours of the NP scheme.
“On being recommended by HPSC, and as per availability of funds etc., the Government of India may approve the inclusion of a project under the National Projects scheme,” the Minister said. He added that the Centre and State ratio of funds would be 60:40 if the NP scheme is awarded.