BRS slams Congress over misinformation on Kaleshwaram project, advises to focus on fulfilling electoral promises

In a point-by-point rebuttal, the former Deputy Chief Minister said the presentation on Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) during the Ministers' visit exposed the false propaganda of the Congress.

Hyderabad: In a scathing rebuke, BRS MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari slammed the Congress government, accusing them of orchestrating political theatrics in the guise of white papers and judicial investigations.

He said the Congress which made 412 promises during the elections, is now resorting to diversionary tactics only to cover up its failure to secure funding for fulfilling its schemes. Addressing a media conference at the BRS Legislature Party office here on Friday, Srihari criticised the Ministers’ visit to the Medigadda barrage, alleging that they aimed to mislead the public rather than fulfill their responsibilities.

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He feared that the Ministers were trying to influence the proposed judicial probe demanded by the BRS to ascertain the facts, by delivering judgements on allegations, even before conducting investigation.

In a point-by-point rebuttal, the former Deputy Chief Minister said the presentation on Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) during the Ministers’ visit exposed the false propaganda of the Congress.

He highlighted that the State government confirmed the Rs 93,000 crore expenditure for the project, rebutting allegations of Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of a Rs 1 lakh crore scam in the project construction.

He pointed out that while the Congress leaders alleged that no new ayacut was created under KLIS, the officials revealed that over 98,000 acres of new ayacut was created, besides stabilising ayacut of over 15 lakh acres.

Condemning the Congress leaders for questioning project cost escalations, Srihari stated that the Kaleshwaram project underwent a meticulous redesign process after Maharashtra’s objections which in turn resulted in the increased estimated cost from Rs 38,000 crore proposed for construction at Thammidihatti during the Congress regime to more than Rs 80,000 crore due to multiple barrages and reservoirs constructed as part of the Kaleshwaram project.

“Is there any irrigation project in the country which was completed at the proposed cost? The Congress leaders are repeatedly claiming that no new ayacut was brought under cultivation. If that is true, how come the total cultivation area surpassed one crore acres and Telangana secured second spot in paddy cultivation,” he questioned.

The BRS legislator reminded that despite objections from Maharashtra government and advise from the Central Water Commission against constructing Pranahitha-Chevella project at Thammidihatti, the then Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy laid foundation for the project in December 2008 and spent over Rs 6,000 crore by releasing mobilisation advances to the contractors, without taking up any major work. He questioned the delay in executing the project, despite the Congress remaining in power in the State as well as the Centre till 2014.

Srihari explained that after the BRS came to power in 2014, former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao got the Pranahitha-Chevalla project redesigned as Kaleshwaram project to avoid further hurdles and ensure water supply to people of Telangana.

He rubbished the Congress leaders’ claims that Pranahitha-Chevella project would have supplied water through gravity and reminded that it was also a lift irrigation scheme.

“It is shamefull that the Ministers are resorting to false claims that the previous BRS government never sought national status for Kaleshwaram project. Former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar, myself and other Ministers have repeatedly taken up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others in the Central government, but there has been no response,” he added.

He said the BRS government had also sought national status for Palamuru-Rangareddy LIS. In response to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s criticism of the Chandrashekhar Rao government’s decision ot purchase new official vehicles, Srihari dismissed it as a non-issue.

He said there was nothing to hide as the decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting and bullet-proofing of the vehicles are done in Vijayawada, officially.

He challenged the Congress Ministers to prioritise governance over baseless accusations and fulfill their promises in at least six months, if not 100 days as they assured. He advised them against spreading misinformation against the previous BRS government to escape from their promises.