Hyderabad: Minister Dr Vivek Venkatswamy on Sunday accused BRS leaders of pushing Telangana into ₹8 lakh crore debt through extravagant spending and faulty projects, particularly the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme.
During a visit to Mancherial district, the minister met farmers in Babbairu Cheluka and Devulawada villages under Kotapalli mandal, where crops were damaged due to Kaleshwaram backwater flooding. He also reviewed land acquisition issues and later held discussions with the district collector Kumar Deepak, RDO, and local tahsildar at the MLA camp office.
Officials announced that land acquisition will formally begin on October 18, following a government notification. The process will follow all statutory guidelines.
BRS debt farm losses linked to failed Kaleshwaram project
Minister Vivek said he secured ₹10 crore in relief funds to support affected farmers and assured compensation for all. “No farmer should worry. Every eligible person will receive assistance,” he said.
He alleged that BRS constructed the Kaleshwaram project only for commission gains and called it a failed scheme. Recalling an earlier attempt by his father Kaka Venkatswamy to build a project at Tummidihatti with ₹11,000 crore, he claimed the present situation could have been avoided.
He criticised BRS for mismanagement, stating that the project failed to deliver irrigation benefits while submerging standing crops. Despite no usage of Kaleshwaram waters, farmers previously achieved record yields, he added. The current crisis, he said, was the result of BRS’s flawed decisions.