HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expedite clearances for key irrigation projects in the state and intervene to resolve inter-state water disputes, particularly with Maharashtra over the proposed Tummidhatti barrage.
Revanth Reddy, accompanied by Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, met Modi in Delhi and submitted a memorandum seeking early approvals for the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, Sitamma Sagar Multipurpose Irrigation Project and Didni Lift Irrigation Scheme. Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya was also present at the meeting.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister urged Modi to prevail upon the Maharashtra government to agree to the construction of the Tummidhatti barrage at a height of 152 metres. He said the Telangana government was ready to pay compensation for the areas in Maharashtra that would be submerged by the project.
Revanth Reddy also briefed the Prime Minister on recent discussions between the chief ministers of Telangana and Maharashtra over the project.
He said the Congress government in Telangana had accelerated irrigation project construction and was expediting compensation payments to people displaced by the projects.
The Chief Minister said the Tummidhatti project would provide irrigation and drinking water through gravity to backward tribal areas.
On Sammakka Sagar project, Revanth Reddy said that the detailed project report of the project was already sent to the Central Water Commission and the Telangana government paid Rs 9.88 crore for conducting the backwater survey in Chhattisgarh state. Stating that Telangana government was ready to pay the compensation for the submerged lands, Revanth Reddy requested the Prime Minister to see that Chhattisgarh government give no objection certificate to the project.
Revanth Reddy requested the Prime Minister to release Rs 5,000 crore additional funds under Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment. He said that these additional funds would be used for the projects in Telangana, which were completed between 70% to 90%. If these additional funds were released in the current financial year, it would be useful for creating or stabilising aycut in the state and it would help to increase the food grains production, rural employment and income of the farmers, Revanth Reddy said.
Revanth Reddy sought Rs 5,183 crore for Sammakka Sagar and Sitarama lift irrigation scheme under MPKSY scheme, Rs 392 crore for Modikunta Vagu, Rs 171 crore for Chinna Kaleshwaram and Rs 103 crore for Chanaka-Korata projects.
INVITE FOR KHELO INDIA
Revanth Reddy invited Prime Minister Modi for the inaugural and concluding ceremony of the Khelo India Youth Games-2026. He extended the invite and explained the logo and muscat of the games. Revanth Reddy said that around 7,000 sportspersons would take part in the event. He said that Telangana conducted national sports in 2002 and Military sports in 2007.
Later, the Chief Minister along with Mansukh Mandaviyia unvieled the 8th Khelo India Youth Games-2026 logo and mascot at the officials residence of the Union Minister. State Sports Minister Vakiti Srihari and others were present.
Revanth reddy informed Mansukh Mandaviyia that Telangana government increased the sports budget from Rs 113 crore to Rs 465 crore. The Chief Minister said that the construction of 61 stadiums were completed and the construction of another 15 stadiums were at various stages.
