Union Minister not aware of Kaleshwaram project’s importance

Hyderabad: At a time when Telangana state is preparing to produce over 1.41 crore tonnes of paddy during the ensuing Vaanakalam( Kharif) season, union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Coal Pralhad Joshi is questioning about the additional ayacut the state was able to brought under cultivation through Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme(KLIS). It appeared as if […]

Hyderabad: At a time when Telangana state is preparing to produce over 1.41 crore tonnes of paddy during the ensuing Vaanakalam( Kharif) season, union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Coal Pralhad Joshi is questioning about the additional ayacut the state was able to brought under cultivation through Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme(KLIS). It appeared as if the union Minister was not aware that Kaleshwaram project has become a growth engine of Telangana and provides water for two crops in a year to about 45 lakh acres in the State.

The union Minister, who toured Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency as part of Lok Sabha Pravas Yojana’ an outreach programme of the BJP on Friday, told media that the Telangana government was making tall claims about Kaleshwaram project and that the project had failed to achieve desired results. The union Minister demanded that Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao disclose the details of the additional aycuts brought under cultivation since the formation of Telangana.

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Though many state governments were appreciating the efforts of the Telangana government in increasing crop production and even trying to implement the schemes being adopted by it, the union government is not recognizing apparently due to political compulsions. The State’s paddy production stood at 24 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 and due to the efforts of the TRS government, the state is expecting to produce about 1.41 crore tonnes of paddy. Last year, the State produced about 70.3 lakh tonnes of paddy during Kharif. This itself shows that the state was doing very well as far as crop production is considered.

Besides, Under Mission Kakatiya, 46,531 lakes have been revived and 15 lakh acres ayacut was stabilised.
It has resulted in increasing the groundwater table and developing aquaculture.

Exuding confidence that the BJP will win with huge margin in the upcoming Munugode by-poll, the minister claimed that the outcome of the by-poll would be a turning point in the political scenario in Telangana.