Hyderabad: Labour and Mines Minister Dr. G. Vivek Venkataswamy accused the previous BRS government of weakening the Pranahita-Chevella project and alleged that it failed to prioritise irrigation needs in North Telangana.
He claimed the earlier government promoted the Kaleshwaram project to secure commissions. He made these remarks while visiting the Tummidihatti project area along with Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Friday.
The ministers later performed Jalaharathi in the Pranahita river and interacted with media representatives. Vivek said the state had already spent nearly ₹1,100 crore on the Pranahita-Chevella project and completed a major portion of the works.
According to him, the project could have been completed if the government had allocated an additional ₹25,000 crore. He stated that the original plan aimed to address both irrigation and drinking water requirements in North Telangana.
Vivek recalled that former Union Minister Kaka Venkataswamy supported the project. He also said former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy laid the foundation stone for the initiative.
The minister further noted that the Kiran Kumar Reddy government agreed to fix the project height at 152 metres. He claimed that at that level, only 5,000 acres in Maharashtra would have faced submergence and compensation would have remained around ₹5,000 crore.
Pranahita-Chevella project revival plan
Vivek alleged that the BRS government later reduced the project height to 148 metres, which weakened the Pranahita-Chevella project. Consequently, he argued that the revised approach delayed benefits to farmers in the region.
He also claimed that some contractors benefited from the Kaleshwaram project. However, he said the current Congress government under Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was taking steps to revive the Tummidihatti project.
Moreover, Vivek stated that the revived project could provide irrigation water to nearly two lakh acres in North Telangana. He added that the government would work with neighbouring states for necessary approvals.
Additionally, the minister appealed to Telangana BJP leaders to seek Maharashtra’s approval for a 150-metre project height to support the project’s revival and ensure long-term water security.
తెలంగాణలోని 16 లక్షల ఎకరాలకు సాగునీరు అందించేందుకు ఆనాటి కాంగ్రెస్ ప్రభుత్వంలో తుమ్మిడిహట్టి దగ్గర సీఎంగా వైఎస్ఆర్ గారు శంకుస్థాపన చేసిన ప్రాజెక్ట్ నీ పక్కనపెట్టి, కమీషన్ల కోసం కేసీఆర్ మేఘ కృష్ణ రెడ్డి తో కలిసి కాళేశ్వరం ప్రాజెక్టుని నిర్మించి దోచుకున్నారు. కానీ ఈ ప్రాజెక్టు… pic.twitter.com/xX6ZhMnOkH
— Dr Vivek Venkatswamy (@VivekVenkatswam) May 8, 2026
