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Hyderabad: Minister for Irrigation, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, announced that the State government has outlined a comprehensive expenditure plan for the fiscal year 2024-25.

This plan focuses on various irrigation projects across the Godavari and Krishna basins, aimed at creating new ayacut for an additional 30 lakh acres over the next five years.

“Our aim is to create new irrigation potential and stabilize existing infrastructure to support agricultural productivity in Telangana State,” reiterated Uttam Kumar Reddy.

The Minister held a review meeting with concerned officials at Jal Soudha on Sunday to discuss various aspects, including budget allocations and the progress of irrigation projects across the State.

Later, speaking to the media, the Minister said that the irrigation sector has received clear focus in the financial budget, with a capital investment allocation of Rs 10,820 crore. The State government is committed to creating an additional 30 lakh acres of ayacut across Telangana in five years.

He reviewed the progress of priority projects, measures to expedite work, and actions taken on petitions submitted by public representatives regarding irrigation issues.

“There will be no shortage of funds for priority projects, and the allocation for the Irrigation department is adequate,” Uttam Kumar Reddy clarified.

He emphasized the importance of completing field-level work according to targets and ensuring that assigned tasks are completed on time.

The Minister also criticized BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao for making irresponsible remarks on the Kaleshwaram project.

Dismissing K.T. Rama Rao’s demand for the State government to lift water from the Lakshmi (Kannepally) pump house of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project, the Minister warned that KTR’s suggestions could lead to catastrophic consequences, including structural damage to key barrages such as Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla.

He cautioned that overfilling these reservoirs could result in severe downstream flooding, threatening lives and properties in villages like Bhadrachalam and compromising projects such as Sammakka-Saralamma and Sitaram LIS.