Hyderabad: Former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao ruined Telangana’s irrigation system, irrigation minister Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged on Sunday, blaming him for debt, failures and false claims.
Speaking to the media at the Secretariat, Uttam said KCR must first apologise to the people before speaking about irrigation. According to him, the former chief minister made false claims for ten years.
Moreover, Uttam said KCR mortgaged state assets and raised loans worth ₹1 lakh crore. As a result, the state faced a massive interest burden.
At the same time, the minister said the previous government spent huge amounts but delivered little irrigation benefit. Consequently, farmers received only nominal ayacut despite heavy spending.
Uttam noted that KCR often described the Kaleshwaram project as his “heart.” However, he pointed out that the barrage later collapsed.
He further said a Supreme Court judge’s report held KCR responsible for the collapse. Therefore, Uttam questioned how KCR continued to speak on irrigation.
KCR irrigation projects failed to help farmers, says Uttam
Uttam alleged that KCR spent ₹1.81 lakh crore without benefiting farmers or the state. Additionally, he said KCR handled the roles of chief minister, finance minister and irrigation minister himself.
He also accused the former government of stalling the Pranahita–Chevella project for commissions. As a result, even one lakh acres of new ayacut did not receive water, he said.
Meanwhile, Uttam said the government dropped the Rajiv Dummugudem and Indira Sagar Rudramkota schemes. Instead, it introduced the Sitarama project, he added.
According to Uttam, continuing the earlier schemes would have created four lakh acres of ayacut with ₹1,555 crore. However, he alleged the Sitarama project alone cost ₹18,000 crore.
He further claimed the cost crossed ₹25,000 crore after adding the Sitaamma project. Meanwhile, Uttam said Devadula, Kalwakurthy, Nettampadu, Bheema and Koilsagar remained incomplete for ten years.
KCR misled people on Palamuru, Krishna waters, Uttam alleges
Uttam accused KCR of misleading people on the Palamuru–Rangareddy project. He said the government spent ₹27,000 crore without irrigating even one acre.
Similarly, he made allegations about the Sitarama Sagar and Kaleshwaram projects. Meanwhile, Uttam said Congress secured 90 TMC allocation for Palamuru–Rangareddy during the united Andhra Pradesh period.
He also rejected claims that Congress reduced water allocation after Telangana’s formation. Instead, Uttam said the DPR was returned by the Centre on April 12, 2023.
At that time, KCR held charge as chief minister and irrigation minister, he added. Since then, Uttam said the present government spent ₹7,000 crore on Palamuru–Rangareddy.
On Krishna waters, Uttam alleged that KCR agreed to give Andhra Pradesh 512 TMC. Therefore, he questioned why Telangana settled for 299 TMC.
He further accused KCR and Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of colluding against Telangana. As a result, he said, illegal diversion of Krishna waters increased sharply.
Finally, Uttam said irrigation loans stood at ₹96,108 crore at 11 per cent interest. However, he added that the current government restructured loans and reduced interest to 7 per cent.
Uttam urged people not to believe what he called misleading statements by KCR. At the same time, he said the Congress government remained committed to completing irrigation projects in Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda districts.