CM Revanth Reddy Targets BRS Over Irrigation Delays, Sets Two-Year Deadline for Palamuru Projects

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday accused the previous BRS government of failing to complete a single major irrigation project in the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district during its ten-year rule, alleging that the administration was more interested in commissions than project execution .

Speaking at a press conference near the Karivena Reservoir after completing a two-day review of irrigation projects in the region, the Chief Minister said the Congress government was determined to complete all pending projects within the next two years. He claimed that had the projects been completed during the previous regime, irrigation facilities could have been provided to 26 lakh acres , besides meeting industrial water requirements.

Revanth Reddy alleged that nearly ₹27,000 crore was spent on the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, but no irrigation benefits reached farmers. According to him, expenditure was largely confined to pumps and lifting infrastructure, while critical aspects such as land acquisition remained unfinished. He challenged BRS leaders to identify even one major irrigation project that was both launched and completed during their tenure.

Highlighting the financial burden inherited by the present government, the Chief Minister said that while the BRS administration paid ₹84,503 crore towards irrigation-related loans over a decade, the Congress government had already spent ₹52,120 crore in just 30 months towards debt servicing. Despite this, he said, the state had allocated ₹22,000 crore for irrigation works , including ₹8,000 crore for projects in the erstwhile Palamuru region .

The Chief Minister said the government had prepared an action plan to fast-track pending projects and was conducting field inspections to monitor progress. He reiterated that the goal was to transform the drought-prone region by ensuring irrigation to 26 lakh acres through the completion of key projects.

He criticised the previous government for neglecting the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme , which is designed to supply 90 TMC of water to the region. Revanth Reddy said projects such as Kalwakurthy, Bhima, Nettempadu, Jurala and Koilsagar would have significantly expanded irrigation coverage if completed on time.

To accelerate progress, the government plans to acquire an additional 4,000 acres of land . He assured farmers that compensation issues would be addressed and the required funds released. The Chief Minister also said that obstacles affecting the Palamuru-Rangareddy project up to Uddandapur would be removed and that pumps, canals and associated infrastructure would be fully operational by 2027 . He added that the state was exploring the construction of a bridge-cum-barrage near the Karnataka border in consultation with technical experts and the neighbouring state.

On inter-state water disputes, Revanth Reddy asserted that Telangana would not compromise on its share of Godavari waters and would continue pursuing a resolution to pending Krishna river issues. He also said discussions were underway with Maharashtra regarding the proposed Pranahita-Chevella project.

Responding to criticism from BJP leaders over crop procurement, the Chief Minister said the state expected to procure 75 lakh metric tonnes of paddy by the end of the season and warned of a confrontation with the Centre if procurement support was not forthcoming.

Meanwhile, BRS MLA and former minister T. Harish Rao rejected the Chief Minister’s allegations, arguing that the Congress government had done little for the region during its two-and-a-half years in office. He maintained that the previous BRS government had already completed 27,191 acres of land acquisition for the Palamuru-Rangareddy project and dismissed the Congress government's criticism as politically motivated.