The Congress government in Telangana is focusing on the construction and completion of irrigation projects, including the revival of the Pranahita-Chevella Lift Irrigation Project. A team of ministers visited the Medigadda project and pointed out irregularities. They criticized the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme, calling it a costly project that would require a large amount of funds for operation. The Congress government plans to redesign and construct existing projects.
The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) expert panel found faults in the design, construction, and quality of the Kaleshwaram project. The third water lift will not proceed until a report is submitted by irrigation officials. The Medigadda pillar has sagged, and a Coffer Dam is being constructed to assess whether repairs or reconstruction are needed. The ministers also inspected pumphouses at Sundilla and Annaram, where water leakage was discovered.
The ministers accused the previous government of escalating the cost of the Kaleshwaram project from Rs 86 lakh crore to Rs 1.40 lakh crore without implementing quality control measures or conducting a scientific feasibility study. They emphasized the need for an in-depth study on the newly created ayacut, stabilization of the ayacut, construction quality, and power requirements before deciding on project utilization. They will also re-examine the proposal for the Pranahita Barrage at Tummidihatti.
The team of ministers includes Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, R&B Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, IT and Industry Minister D Sridhar Babu, Revenue Minister P Srinivas Reddy, and BC Welfare Minister P Prabhakar.
