Uttam Refutes Claims Of Projects’ Handover To KRMB, Slams BRS For Misinformation

Hyderabad, February 5: Irrigation Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy categorically stated that the Congress Government would never hand over the control of Telangana’s projects to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).

Click Here To Join Us On WhatsApp 

Addressing a press conference at Dr BR Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat on Monday, Uttam Kumar Reddy slammed former minister Harish Rao and other BRS leaders for spreading misinformation, stating that the present Congress Government has agreed to hand over the State’s projects to KRMB. He clarified that the Congress Government took charge on December 7, 2023, and in the last 56 days, the proposal was never considered, and the government would never hand over the control to KRMB.

Uttam Kumar Reddy pointed out that the previous BRS Government failed in the optimum utilization of Krishna River water and agreed to give a higher share of the river water to Andhra Pradesh. He mentioned that the TRS Govt should have insisted on a higher share in the Krishna River for Telangana immediately after the formation of Telangana in 2014. In River basins, he stated that river water sharing is decided based on catchment area, drought-prone area, population, and cultivable area. However, he expressed that injustice was done to Telangana on all parameters, with the KCR Govt agreeing to give a larger share to Andhra Pradesh.

Click Here To Join Us On WhatsApp 

Reading out the minutes of the KRMB meeting, he pointed out that it was the BR’s Govt that agreed to hand over the projects to KRMB, and the same was reflected in the documents of the 2023-24 budget presented by the then Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao himself. Apart from handing over the projects, the KCR Govt also allocated Rs 200 crore for maintenance.

He accused BRS leaders of spreading repeated lies to defame the Congress Government. “As the Irrigation Minister, I categorically announce that we have not taken any decision in this regard. There has been no proposal, no effort, or no direction to hand over the projects to KRMB,” he reiterated.

Click Here To Join Us On WhatsApp 

Uttam Kumar Reddy emphasized that it was the KCR Government that facilitated the AP Government to float tenders for the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation schemes by postponing the Apex Council meeting. He pointed out that the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation project was started a few days after a secret agreement between KCR and Jagan. He criticized the KCR Government for failing to utilize about 7 TMC of Krishna water that comes by gravity to Telangana and allowing Andhra Pradesh to take 8 TMC per day from Srisailam. He highlighted that on May 5, 2020, the AP Govt issued Go No. 203 to withdraw 8 TMC of water daily.

He accused the previous BRS regime of fully cooperating with the AP Govt in depriving Telangana of its due share in Krishna River water.

Click Here To Join Us On WhatsApp 

He criticized the KCR Govt for wasting thousands of crores of public money in the name of irrigation projects. Citing instances, he mentioned that the Kaleshwaram Project was constructed by spending about Rs 95,000 crore, and not even 1 lakh acres were irrigated. With the Medigadda and the other two barrages suffering damages, the project has reached a standstill. Similarly, the cost of Palamuru Rangareddy was escalated, and despite spending Rs 27,500 crore, not a single acre was cultivated. He mentioned that all projects of the undivided Mahabubnagar district like Kalwakurthy, Bhimasagar, and Koyal Sagar were kept pending.

He also slammed Harish Rao for questioning his role in the Telangana statehood movement. He stated that Telangana became a reality due to the all-party meeting convened by the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, and he had played a crucial role in it. He alleged that BRS leaders were “blackmailers” even during the statehood movement.

Click Here To Join Us On WhatsApp 

Uttam Kumar Reddy accused KCR and AP Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy of colluding to deprive Telangana of its share in the Krishna River. He alleged that AP CM Jagan, at the instance of KCR, deliberately sent forces to Nagarjuna Sagar on the voting day to influence the electoral outcome.

---

Next Story :

Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe.  Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates