HYDERABAD: Terming the white paper on irrigation tabled by the Congress in the Assembly on Saturday as a bundle of lies and mistakes, BRS MLA and former irrigation minister T Harish Rao said that it was not a white paper but a “false paper”.
Participating in the debate on the white paper tabled in the Assembly, Harish recalled Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s recent remarks that the Congress would erase all signs of the BRS in the state. “As part of this the government, it seems, wishes that all the barrages of Kaleshwaram collapse,” Harish alleged. He demanded that the state government immediately take up restoration work on Medigadda.
On the chief minister’s statement that a retired judge would be asked to probe into the Medigadda barrage, Harish said that the Congress government could order any kind of probe and take action against those responsible if there were any lapses.
He, however, recalled the BRS took up re-engineering of Kaleshwaram as suggested by the Central Water Commission. He said that Minister Thummala Nageswara too was a member of the sub-committee constituted for the re-engineering.
On Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy referring to Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on Kaleshwaram, Harish recalled the remarks made by former prime minister Manmohan Singh and various former chief ministers on CAG reports. “N Chandrababu Naidu stated the CAG report was ‘unscientific’. The CAG has no powers to censure the government, said YS Rajasekhara Reddy. N Kiran Kumar Reddy said that the CAG report was not the Bible, Quran or Bhagavad Gita. Even Manmohan Singh said that the CAG report was a bundle of mistakes and lacked standards,” Harish recalled.
‘Ayacut takes time’
Pointing out that the white paper mentions that Rs 93,872 crore was spent on Kaleshwaram and only 98,590 acres were irrigated by the project, Harish Rao said that the foundation for SRSP was laid in 1963. “After 11 years, the ayacut provided under SRSP was 25,000 acres. The full ayacut was given only after 45 years. The foundation for the Nagarjuna Sagar Project was laid in 1955. After 12 years, the ayacut provided was 98,000 acres. The full ayacut under Nagarjuna Sagar was provided only after 30 years. Under the Kalwakurthy project, the ayacut provided in 30 years was just 13,000 acres,” Harish said.
On the sinking of piers of Medigadda barrage, he recalled similar accidents were took place in the Singur dam, Yellampalli, Puttangandi and Polavaram projects. “Even the Punjagutta flyover collapsed during construction, under Congress rule,” Harish said.
Only for LS polls
Speaking to reporters at the media point after the Assembly was adjourned sine die, Harish alleged that the government was showing Kaleshwaram through a magnifying lens only to derive political mileage ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The government tried to underplay the achievements of Kaleshwaram, he said.
Point to point
Uttam Kumar Reddy
Mid-Manair project constructed in undivided AP
AP has the potential to draw 9 tmcft per day if the under-construction Rayalaseema lift project is completed. The Telangana government did not act until a resident of Mahabubnagar filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal.
In 2015, the BRS government approved the proposal related to the handing over of projects in the Krishna basin
It is meaningless to demand 50% of the water share of the Krishna river. The share should be 68%
Harish Rao
It is not a fact. In undivided AP, Rs 106 crore was spent on Mid Manair. BRS govt spent Rs 775 crore and completed the project
Though the AP govt issued a GO on RLIS in May 2020, the BRS govt lodged a complaint with the Centre in January 2020 itself
BRS never handed over the projects to KRMB. We opposed the proposal and wanted the Centre to refer the same to the Apex Council.
BRS relentlessly fought for a fair share of Krishna river water. We demanded the Centre refer the matter to a Tribunal.
HIGHLIGHTS OF WHITE PAPER
Annaram and Sundilla barrages also damaged and the National Dam Safety Authority has warned of further damage
Destructive irrigation policies adopted by the previous government put the state at a great risk. Wrong policies, huge debts, corruption and lack of maintenance imposed a huge burden on the state.
Kaleshwaram, which is said to have been built at a record speed, has become a big liability for Telangana.
The total budget allocation for the irrigation sector in Telangana region so far is Rs 1,87,842.83 crore out of which Rs 54,051 crore was allocated till the formation of Telangana (as on 01.06.2014). After the formation of the state (after 01.06.2014) Rs 1,33,791.52 crore was allocated.
Out of total cost of Rs 2,35,302 crore, Rs 54,234 crore was spent before the formation of the state (as on 01.06.2014) and Rs 1,81,068 crore after the formation of Telangana
From 2014 to 2023, the percentage of state funding for irrigation projects has been continuously decreasing from 100% to 47%. The debt-to-fund ratio has increased from 0% in 2014 to 39% in 2023.
The BRS government completely neglected the projects in Krishna river basin in the last 10 years. As a result, Mahbubnagar, Rangareddy, Nalgonda and Khammam districts suffered a lot.
In the next 5 years, the annual loan burden of the Irrigation department will be Rs 16,000 crore (ie, 1% of GSDP). This is likely to be more than the annual budget allocation of the department
GOVERNMENT’S PRIORITY
Pending Kalwakurthy lift scheme, Kodangal Narayanapet, Chinna Kaleshwaram, Alimineti Madhava Reddy SLBC, Sripada Yellampalli project, Indiramma flood canal, Mid Manair, Komaram Bheem, Devadula lift projects will be completed at the earliest
As more than 50 per cent progress has been made in the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Scheme (PRLIS), AIBP-PMKSY funds will be mobilised and steps will be taken to complete it expeditiously
FUTURE PLAN
Greater accountability and transparency will be ensured
At present, the works of irrigation are progressing at various stages. The goal will be achieved only if adequate funds are made available to provide irrigation water to maximum ayacut without any scope for corruption
Government is committed to providing required funds keeping in view the interests of the people and priority to the projects based on the status of work