New Delhi: Telangana has asked the Centre for an extra Rs 10,000 crore to finish irrigation projects and recharge groundwater against El Niño. Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy disclosed the demand on Sunday.
He said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy presented a detailed list of irrigation demands to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a meeting. The Chief Minister also sought Modi’s intervention to clear pending approvals and funding hurdles.
Uttam Kumar Reddy briefed reporters in the national capital after the meeting, along with Sports and Youth Services Minister Vakiti Srihari.
The ministers said Telangana has invested heavily in irrigation infrastructure. However, pending environmental clearances, disputes between states and a shortage of funds have kept the projects from becoming operational.
Rs 5,000 crore sought to complete irrigation projects under SASCI
Telangana has requested an additional Rs 5,000 crore under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme for 2026-27. The money would go to major and medium irrigation projects that have reached 70 to 90 per cent physical progress.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Union Budget set aside Rs 2 lakh crore under SASCI for states. Yet Telangana has received only Rs 1,457 crore so far, he said. The State has submitted a detailed representation seeking Rs 5,000 crore to cover the remaining 10 to 30 per cent funding gap.
According to him, a timely release of Rs 5,000 crore would help finish these projects within a year. This would bring a large ayacut, both new and stabilised, under assured irrigation, he said. The minister added that it would also lift farm incomes, rural employment and national foodgrain production.
He said the State has the institutional capacity to use the funds before the March 31, 2027 deadline. It also meets PFMS/Single Nodal Agency compliance requirements, he added.
The Chief Minister also raised delays in environmental clearances for the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, Sitarama Sagar and Dindi Lift Irrigation Scheme. Successive governments have spent nearly Rs 50,000 crore on these works, but legal and procedural hurdles remain.
The Supreme Court has allowed the Union Environment Ministry to appraise the applications, but processing has been slow, Uttam Kumar Reddy said. He urged the Prime Minister to direct the ministry to speed up approvals so that public investment does not lie idle.
Telangana seeks PM’s help on Tummidihatti and groundwater recharge
On inter-state issues, the delegation sought Modi’s intervention on the Tummidihatti Barrage. Uttam Kumar Reddy recalled that the previous BRS government had abandoned the original Pranahita-Chevella project after spending around Rs 11,000 crore. Instead, it focused on the Medigadda-based Kaleshwaram project, he said. The present government intends to revive Tummidihatti at 152 metres to maximise irrigation potential, he added.
The Chief Minister also asked Modi to expedite the pending No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Chhattisgarh for the Sammakka-Sarakka barrage. In addition, Telangana submitted funding proposals under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for the next financial year.
Citing the Central Ground Water Board’s September 2026 report, Uttam Kumar Reddy warned that groundwater tables are falling in several districts. The State is also facing rainfall deficits, he said.
To build climate resilience, the State team presented a Rs 5,000 crore action plan for recharge measures in all revenue villages. The plan covers both structural and non-structural measures. It proposes linking the special central grant with the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) framework.
However, the minister ruled out an immediate water crisis. He said reservoir levels have been assessed and adequate arrangements are in place for uninterrupted drinking water supply until the next monsoon.
Uttam Kumar Reddy described the meeting as constructive, saying Modi gave the delegation a patient hearing and sought clarifications. “We are hopeful and confident that the Government of India will extend its support to Telangana on these important irrigation issues,” he said. The State will continue to follow up with the Union ministries concerned, he added.