BJP’s Ramchander Rao demands Telangana govt to handover Kaleshwaram project probe to CBI

From time to time, both in the council and in the assembly, the BJP has maintained that the Kaleshwaram project is an ATM for the BRS government, says Rao.

Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader N Ramchander Rao has demanded the state government to immediately hand over the Kaleshwaram project investigation to the CBI.

Speaking to ANI on Friday, the BJP leader stated, “The Kaleshwaram project has been constructed with more cost than actually required. From time to time, both in the council and in the assembly, the BJP has maintained that the Kaleshwaram project is an ATM for the BRS government.” Rao emphasised that, following the CAG report, the matter should now be given to the CBI for investigation. “Now, after the CAG’s report, that there has been a wasteful expenditure purposefully to make quick money, I think that the matter should now be given to the CBI for investigation. … We demand that the Congress government in Telangana hand over the Kaleshwaram issue investigation to the CBI immediately,” he said.

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The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report that was tabled in the state Assembly on Thursday stated that the muti-purpose Lift Irrigation Project on the Godavari River in Telangana’s Kaleshwaram of the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana, is “economically unviable.” The cost of the project is now likely to exceed Rs 1.4 lakh crore (Rs 1,47,427.41 crore) as against the cost of (Rs 81,911.01 crore) projected to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the CAG report stated.

The absence of a comprehensive plan duly spelling out the sources of funds for a project of this scale, will have a long term impact on the finances of the State, is an indication of improper planning, the CAG report stated. The CAG report stated that out of the total expenditure of Rs 86,788.06 crore incurred on the project (March 2022), an expenditure of Rs 55,807.86 crore (i.e., 64.3 per cent) was met from the off-budget borrowings (OBBs) raised by KIPCL. KIPCL is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up by the BRS government to handle finances related to Kaleshwaram.

The Government of Telangana has not accorded administrative approval of the project as a whole and instead it has issued separate approvals i.e. as many as 73 administrative approvals aggregating to Rs 1,10,248.48 crore; there are no orders from the Government about the funding pattern for the project. The possibility of undue benefit of at least Rs 2,684.73 crore to contractors for supply and commissioning of pumps, motors etc., cannot be ruled out, the CAG report stated Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Tuesday had inspecting the damaged pillars of the Laxmi Medigadda Barrage and addressed media persons.

He alleged that cracks in the pillars of Medigadda barrage are visible and accused KCR of trying to cover up his government’s mistakes. He also accused KCR for terming the damage to the piers as a small issue. Reddy alleged that KCR was scared of being exposed and tried to divert public attention by holding a public meeting at Nalgonda. KCR on February 13 had addressed a public meeting in which he lashed out at the Revanth Reddy Congress government for failing to protect the interests of the state in river water sharing.

Meanwhile, addressing reporters at Medigadda, Revanth Reddy said that BJP MLAs had not visited Medigadda. “How many more years will the BJP and BRS make an alliance in the dark?” the Telangana CM said. “We want BJP to visit Madigadda. BJP should make their stand clear. Will you try to save the KCR corruption or will question KCR and support the state government in the corruption done on Kaleshwaram, we demand your stand,” Reddy had said.

The Chief Minister said that Congress wanted a probe by a sitting judge. BJP leader, Muralidhar Rao, on Wednesday demanded the state government immediately constitute a committee or write a letter to the CBI to get an investigation done into the Kaleshwaram project. While talking to ANI, the BJP leader said, “Congress government under the leadership of Revanth Reddy and another side opposition leader, KCR, both are indulging in creating a false impression, and they are undertaking misinformation campaign both sides.” “The government is expected to investigate the malpractices, corruption and other fraudulent tactics used in the Kaleshwaram project, find the responsible people and culprits, and ultimately punish them,” said Muralidhar Rao. The Kaleshwaram project suffered heavy damage due to massive floods in 2022.

According to reports, one of the piers within the Kaleshwaram barrage at Medigadda was damaged. Leaders from both the state and central Congress have consistently alleged that KCR and his family used the Kaleshwaram project as an ‘ATM’ to siphon off Rs 1 lakh crore rupees.

Ahead of the November 30 Assembly elections in the State last year, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had launched the party’s ‘Kaleshwaram ATM’ campaign in Hyderabad. He accused then Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao of “looting” the people of the State adding that KCR and his family are using the Kaleshwaram Project as their “personal ATM”. According to an official statement, the project aims to produce a total of 240 TMC (195 from Medigadda Barrage, 20 from Sripada Yellampalli project and 25 from groundwater), of which 169 have been allocated for irrigation, 30 for Hyderabad municipal water, 16 for miscellaneous industrial uses, and 10 for drinking water in nearby villages, with the remainder being estimated evaporation loss.