Uttam pledges faster completion of Krishna Basin projects

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Telangana Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday assured the Assembly that the Congress government is prioritizing all Krishna Basin irrigation projects and is committed to completing them as per schedule. Speaking during budget discussions, he said delays in project implementation were due to the massive debt inherited from the previous BRS regime, which had spent Rs 1.81 lakh crore on irrigation but largely diverted funds to the failed Kaleshwaram project, leaving no new ayacut under the Palamuru-Rangareddy lift scheme.

The BRS had created two special corporations to borrow Rs 97,000 crore at high-cost, short-term rates, leaving the new government with an outstanding liability of Rs 82,000 crore, including interest. Since taking office, the Congress government has already repaid Rs 41,000 crore principal and Rs 16,000 crore interest, replacing expensive loans with long-term, low-interest options to free funds for actual works.

On the SLBC tunnel, he said the project is targeted for completion by June 2028. Following a tragic roof collapse in February 2025, the government has adopted advanced tunneling technologies and enhanced safety measures to prevent any recurrence.

The Minister announced a special Rs 5,000-crore package for land acquisition, rehabilitation, and resettlement issues, to be released by June 2, 2026. Specifically for the Dindi Lift Irrigation Project, he said the previous government had spent nearly Rs 5,000 crore without finalizing the source or headworks. The Congress government has now sanctioned the Rs 1,800-crore Yadula-to-Dindi link, called tenders, and will deliver 30 TMC water over two years for the Nalgonda region.

On civil supplies, Uttam Kumar Reddy highlighted the Sanna Biyyam scheme launched on March 30, 2025, providing six kilograms of premium-quality rice free to 3.39 crore beneficiaries, covering 86 per cent of the state’s population, calling it a landmark step toward total food security.

Regarding LPG, he clarified that domestic 14-kg cylinder supplies are sufficient, while commercial 19-kg and auto gas cylinders have faced shortages due to the international crisis. Supplies have improved to 40 per cent recently, with the government coordinating with oil companies and the Centre to restore full availability quickly.