KRMB chief meets Uttam seeking urgent release of funds long over due to the board

Hyderabad: In a crucial meeting held at Jala Soudha on Thursday, the Chairman of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), Atul Jain, along with Member Secretary DM Roy Pure, called on the Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy with a request for urgent release of funds overdue to the board. The KRMB is facing severe […]

Hyderabad: In a crucial meeting held at Jala Soudha on Thursday, the Chairman of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), Atul Jain, along with Member Secretary DM Roy Pure, called on the Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy with a request for urgent release of funds overdue to the board. The KRMB is facing severe financial distress, unable to pay the salaries of its officers, engineers, and other staff due to prolonged delays in fund disbursement from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. During the meeting, the Chairman emphasized the need for both states to equally contribute to the board’s budget as mandated by the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. He highlighted that the board has been struggling financially for years due to the non-release of funds, which has severely impacted its operations.

Telangana owes the KRMB Rs 12 crore, with arrears for the current financial year alone amounting to Rs 7 crore. He stressed that if at least the funds for this financial year are provided, the board’s financial difficulties could be alleviated to some extent. Despite several letters and discussions in board meetings, the issue remained unresolved. The financial strain has also affected the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), which, along with the KRMB, faced uncertainty in paying staff salaries for June. The Andhra Pradesh government provided some relief by clearing part of the dues at the last minute, allowing both boards to pay their staff on time. Officials noted that the boards have never experienced such a severe phase of financial constraints in the past decade. The issue has also been raised with the Ministry of Jal Shakti, seeking intervention to resolve the fund crisis. The KRMB continues to appeal for immediate financial support to ensure the smooth functioning of its operations and the effective management of the joint projects of the two telugu states in the river basin.

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