Two main elevate irrigation initiatives, taken up by the earlier Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) authorities in Telangana at a price of greater than ₹1.25 lakh crore within the final 10 years, have did not justify the expenditure incurred on them, in line with the studies tabled by the current Congress authorities, through the funds session of the state meeting session.
Whereas the Kaleshwaram elevate irrigation challenge (KLIP), one of many largest elevate irrigation initiatives of the world constructed on Godavari river at a price of ₹93,872 crore, supplied irrigation to solely 98,590 acres, the Palamuru-Rangareddy elevate irrigation scheme (PRLIS) being constructed on Krishna river at an estimate of ₹35,200 crore, is but to come back into operation even after 9 years regardless of incurring an expenditure of ₹31,423 crore until date, the report said on August 2.
In a report tabled within the state meeting on July 30, state irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy revealed that the earlier authorities had spent big quantities on the irrigation sector by indulging in heavy borrowings, however they didn’t come into full utility.
“With regard to Kaleshwaram challenge, the then authorities had taken up building of reservoirs, barrages, pump homes and energy sub-stations however had not focussed on finishing canals and distributaries which have been important to irrigate the fields,” the minister mentioned.
Even after spending such an enormous quantity, the barrages of Kaleshwaram challenge, notably the Medigadda barrage in Jayashankar Bhupalpally village, suffered main damages through the October 2023 floods. On account of which the complete challenge has turn into defunct for the final two seasons and there aren’t any hopes of reviving the challenge within the close to future.
“The Nationwide Dam Security Authority (NDSA) engineers have studied the damages and warned the federal government towards storing the water within the reservoirs. Due to this fact, we have been compelled to open all of the gates of the three barrages – Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla – to launch the water to the downstream of Godavari, in order that there can be no strain on the barrages,” the minister mentioned.
The report introduced by Reddy mentioned whereas there was little profit from Kaleshwaram challenge regardless of spending such an enormous quantity, the state authorities was bearing the brunt of the mortgage taken by the BRS authorities for the challenge. “We’re compelled to repay ₹16,000 crore in the direction of curiosity and principal per 12 months for the subsequent 5 years,” he mentioned.
A report of the Comptroller and Auditor Normal tabled within the state meeting in February this 12 months, disclosed that the state authorities had obtained an mixture mortgage quantity of ₹87,449.15 crore from varied monetary establishments, which included an quantity of ₹11.220.22 crore of curiosity throughout building, at an rate of interest starting from 7.8% to 10.9%.
The CAG estimated that after the challenge would turn into totally operational, the requirement of funds for operation of Kaleshwaram challenge together with debt servicing within the coming years might be ₹25,109,41 crore.
Palamuru-Rangareddy elevate scheme
Equally, the Palamuru-Rangareddy Elevate Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS), basis for which was laid by former chief minister Ok Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) at Kollapur in Nagarkurnool district in June 2015, additionally didn’t come into utilisation.
The PRLIS envisages lifting water from the foreshore of Srisailam reservoir at Yellure village of Kollapur block in Nagarkurnool district to the Ok P Laxmidevipally reservoir of Kondurg block in Rangareddy district with 5 stage lifting after which utilising water by gravity.
It proposes to irrigate round 12,00,000 acres in Mahabubnagar, Narayanpet, Rangareddy, Vikarabad, Nagarkurnool and Nalgonda, in addition to offering ingesting water to en route villages and Larger Hyderabad Municipal Company and likewise for industrial use.
On September 16, 2023, forward of the November 30 meeting elections within the state, KCR devoted the PRSLIS to the nation by switching on the motor on the first pump home to elevate water from the river into the consumption effectively of the challenge at Narlapur village, however quickly after the occasion, the challenge works got here to a halt.
In keeping with the report tabled within the state meeting by the irrigation minister, it could take one other 5 years to finish the challenge by spending ₹ 6,000 crore yearly.
“As of now, the federal government had spent ₹31,423 crore. However in line with the newest estimates, it could require one other ₹27,000 crore to finish the challenge. So, the general challenge price can be greater than ₹58,000 crore,” the minister mentioned.