Hyderabad: Telangana Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Tuesday questioned BRS leaders over their claims regarding Palamuru project works and alleged that the previous government left major components incomplete despite huge expenditure.
The minister said the Palamuru-Rangareddy irrigation project required nearly Rs 1 lakh crore for full completion. He alleged that the previous BRS government spent Rs 28,000 crore but failed to finish several critical works linked to the project.
Jupally Krishna Rao inspected the Palamuru-Rangareddy and Kalwakurthy irrigation projects along with MLAs Dr Vamshi Krishna, Dr Rajesh and irrigation department officials.
The inspection came ahead of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s proposed visit to irrigation projects in the undivided Palamuru district on May 30 and 31.
Speaking at the Narlapur PRLIS pump house, the minister challenged BRS leaders to prove their claim that 90 percent of the project had already been completed during the previous administration.
Jupally said several canal works between reservoirs still remained unfinished. He also alleged that the previous government installed only one motor at Narlapur despite plans for nine motors under the project.
Palamuru project works face fresh political scrutiny
The minister said the present government had installed three motors so far and officials still needed to install five additional motors. He added that several distributary canal works also remained incomplete.
Jupally accused the earlier government of ignoring land acquisition for distributary canals and delaying excavation works connected to irrigation infrastructure.
He questioned how BRS leaders claimed 90 percent completion when major canal works and equipment installations were still pending. According to the minister, the government must complete more canal works and install additional motors to utilise 90 TMC of net water allocation.
Jupally further said pending irrigation works also disrupted Mission Bhagiratha water supply operations in some areas. However, he assured that the government would resolve the issues and improve irrigation facilities.
The minister stated that the government aimed to provide irrigation water to around 4.6 lakh acres in Nagarkurnool and Wanaparthy districts after completing the remaining Palamuru project works.
The latest remarks intensified the political dispute between the Congress government and BRS leaders over irrigation infrastructure and project execution in Telangana.
