Telangana: Revanth Reddy takes up Banakacherla project issue with Centre
He informed the Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil that the AP government had designed the Godavari-Banakacherla interlinking project in violation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday raised objection to the Andhra Pradesh government’s Banakacherla interlinking project over River Godavari with Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil.
He informed the Jal Shakti Minister that the AP government had designed the Godavari-Banakacherla interlinking project in violation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. The project did not have any clearance from the Central Water Commission, Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) and KRMB, he said.
As the Sitarama Lift Project and Sammakka Sagar Project being taken up on River Godavari did not get clearances yet, the Chief Minister requested the union Minister to give clearances to the projects and also finalise the assured water share of Telangana in River Godavari immediately.
“Telangana will lose ayacut stabilisation, if the projects are not approved as the State already is meted out injustice in River Krishna water by showing the ayacut in Krishna delta,” Revanth Reddy said.
He also told the Union Minister that the Godavari-Banakacharla project was not discussed in the Apex Council, where the Chief Ministers of both the States are members.
On Krishna water, he pointed out that as Krishna basin covered 70 per cent of Telangana and 30 per cent of Andhra Pradesh, the Centre should allocate 70 per cent of River Krishna water to Telangana.
He also briefed Patil on the importance of installing a telemetry system immediately to ascertain water utilisation from the projects on River Krishna. The Telangana government was prepared to bear the cost of installing the new system, if required, he said.
The Chief Minister also brought to the notice of the Union Minister about the Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation project DPR being submitted to the Centre in 2022 and the delay in granting permission.
He urged the Union Minister to grant CWC and TAC permission for Sitarama lift irrigation, Sammakka Sagar barrages and PLRI projects. He also appealed to Patil to provide adequate financial assistance under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) for Palamuru-Rangareddy, Sitarama Lift Irrigation Scheme, Modi Kunta Vagu, Chanaka Korata Barrage (Distribution System), Chinna Kaleshwaram (Mukteshwar) Lift Irrigation Schemes and also financial assistance under PMRP 2024.
The Chief Minister also urged the Union Minister to provide interest-free loans to Telangana for 50 years under infrastructure development for irrigation projects. Since the government was also planning to take up the construction of the project at Tummidihatti under the Pranahita-Chevella project, he requested the Union Minister to help in getting permissions from the Maharashtra government.
