Uttam Kumar Reddy calls PRLIS shift from Jurala to Srisailam a major blunder
Hyderabad: Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the previous BRS government committed a PRLIS blunder by shifting the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme intake from Jurala to Srisailam. He said the move weakened Telangana’s water rights and sharply escalated project costs.
Reddy made the remarks during a PowerPoint presentation to Congress MLAs, MLCs and Cabinet colleagues. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy attended the session. The briefing aimed to prepare party legislators for Assembly debates on river water sharing.
According to Reddy, the PRLIS blunder began when the BRS abandoned the Jurala-based plan approved in August 2013. He said that design classified PRLIS as an “old project.” Therefore, it enjoyed priority status before water tribunals.
However, the BRS government later shifted the intake to Srisailam. As a result, the project lost priority and faced fresh scrutiny. Reddy said this decision delayed implementation and weakened Telangana’s legal position.
The minister also rejected claims that PRLIS was 90% complete. Instead, he called the claim a “cruel deception.” He said the project began in June 2015 with an estimated cost of ₹35,000 crore. Later, a DPR submitted in 2022 raised the cost to ₹55,000 crore, excluding key components.
Moreover, Reddy said full completion would need more than ₹80,000 crore. He noted that the BRS spent about ₹27,000 crore during its tenure. In contrast, the present government spent ₹7,000 crore in the past two years.
PRLIS blunder weakened water priority and raised costs, says Reddy
Explaining technical impacts, Reddy said Jurala offers access to nearly 70 TMC of floodwater. He added that average flows reach one lakh cusecs for 28 days during monsoon seasons. Therefore, Jurala ensured reliable supply from Western Ghats catchments.
By contrast, Reddy said Srisailam placed Telangana at the receiving end of the basin. Consequently, Mahabubnagar and nearby regions now depend on upstream releases. He warned that such releases may not always occur.
Reddy also accused the BRS of sacrificing Telangana’s interests to accommodate Andhra Pradesh. He said the government capped PRLIS at one TMC to facilitate the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme. As a result, Telangana farmers lost potential benefits.
On legal issues, Reddy said Telangana’s claim for 763 TMC out of 1,050 TMC remains strong. He added that tribunal-approved provisions allow online and offline storage from Jurala drawals. Therefore, Telangana holds a solid legal footing.
Reddy said the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal verdict is likely in about eight months. He expressed confidence in Telangana’s case. He added that the PRLIS blunder would stand exposed in both legal and legislative forums.
