Minister Uttam Kumar assures full completion of Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation project

Telangana Water Resources Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy has assured that the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project will be completed as per its original design and the allocated water capacity. He emphasized that the project, initiated by the Congress government, is being implemented with an allocation of 90 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water.

Addressing allegations by the former BRS government that the current administration was making design changes and neglecting districts like Mahabubnagar, the minister said the project is proceeding strictly according to the 2022 government order (GO) issued by the previous BRS government. According to the GO, the Palamuru-Rangareddy Project was allocated 90 TMC of water.

Of this 90 TMC, 45 TMC comes from water saved through minor irrigation schemes, while the remaining 45 TMC is Telangana’s share of Godavari water transferred from Andhra Pradesh. Minister Reddy added that even the documents submitted by the previous BRS government to the Centre had requested the same water allocation, and the current government is following the same plan.

The minister also criticized the BRS government for halting key components of the project midway, including the construction of distribution and link canals. Once completed, the project is expected to provide irrigation to approximately 12.3 lakh acres across Mahabubnagar, Rangareddy, Vikarabad, Narayanpet, and parts of Nalgonda and Khammam districts.

The project was initially estimated at ₹35,000 crore, but by the time the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the cost had risen to ₹55,000 crore. Minister Uttam Kumar noted that this estimate does not include land acquisition costs for about 30,000 acres required for the link canals, which could push the total cost above ₹70,000 crore at current rates.

He also criticized the BRS government for spending around ₹27,000 crore during its tenure without delivering a single acre of irrigated land. “Despite being in power for ten years, the BRS failed to complete the project, but the Congress government is determined to finish it and ensure irrigation reaches Palamuru,” he said.

Meanwhile, BRS MLA Harish Rao questioned whether the government had reduced the water allocation for the project from 90 TMC to 45 TMC. He alleged that Congress leaders had filed cases in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) during BRS rule, delaying project work. He also pointed out that even after the DPR was returned by the Centre a year ago, the Congress government has yet to submit a revised report.