KCR slams Centre for anti-Telangana stand on river water

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday slammed the Centre for its anti-Telangana stand on river waters. Reacting for the first time to Jal Shakti Ministry's gazette notification on river management boards, he said the Centre was adopting anti-Telangana stand. The chief minister also hit out at Andhra Pradesh saying it was resorting to 'Dadagiri' and constructing unauthorised irrigation projects on Krishna River without valid permissions.

Hyderabad:Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday slammed the Centre for its anti-Telangana stand on river waters. Reacting for the first time to Jal Shakti Ministry's gazette notification on river management boards, he said the Centre was adopting anti-Telangana stand. The chief minister also hit out at Andhra Pradesh saying it was resorting to 'Dadagiri' and constructing unauthorised irrigation projects on Krishna River without valid permissions.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, was addressing a public meeting at Haliya in Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly constituency. He made it clear that Telangana will not give up its share of river waters. The state government is taking steps to ensure that farmers do not face any troubles due to lack of Krishna river waters in future. This was his first reaction after Jal Shakti Ministry issued a gazette notification on July 15 bringing 107 irrigation projects on both Krishna and Godavari rivers under the jurisdiction of river management boards.

The gazette notification finalizing the jurisdiction of Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) will come into effect from October 14, 2021. Following the Centre's move, both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will have no powers on the major and medium irrigation projects in their respective states.

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KCR said that the government would divert Godavari River waters from Palair to Pedda Devulapalli tank near Nagarjuna Sagar to meet the irrigation requirements of Nagarjuna Sagar ayacut, which is in the Krishna River basin. The public meeting was organised to thank the people of Nagarjuna Sagar constituency for electing Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) candidate Nomula Bhagat in the recent by-election.

The TRS chief reiterated his commitment to complete all 15 lift irrigation schemes sanctioned for erstwhile Nalgonda district, within next year-and-half. KCR announced Rs 150 crore for development of the Assembly constituency and also allocated Rs 15 crore each for development of Nandikonda and Haliya municipalities. Stating that Haliya is lagging in development, he promises to ensure development of the town. He assured people that a degree college and a mini stadium will be built in the town.

KCR also announced several other measures for the development of the constituency. He reiterated that 'Dalit Bandhu' scheme will be implemented at any cost. He said the government was ready to spend even Rs 1 lakh crore for the scheme, which will become a role model for development of the Scheduled Castes in the entire country.

Of the around 16 lakh to 17 lakh SC families in the state, around 12 lakh to 13 lakh families will get Rs 10 lakh each under 'Dalit Bandhu'. He said steps were being taken to select 100 beneficiary SC families in each Assembly constituency.

(IANS)