HYDERABAD: The Telangana cabinet, chaired by chief minister A Revanth Reddy, on Monday decided to submit a comprehensive report to the Justice PC Ghose Commission probing the lapses in the execution of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS).The submission will include whether the project received formal cabinet approval during the previous BRS regime, the rationale for constituting a cabinet sub-committee, and the extent to which its recommendations were implemented.
In other important decisions taken at the meeting, the cabinet approved the 201-km southern corridor of the Regional Ring Road, extending from Choutuppal to Sangareddy and an IIIT for Mahbubnagar. Telangana Thalli statues will be installed in every district collectorate before Dec 9.Briefing the media after the meeting at the state secretariat, revenue and housing minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, along with ministers Vakiti Srihari and Ponnam Prabhakar, said the govt would submit all requested information on KLIS by June 30. “This includes details on what then engineers-many now retired-recommended, and the basis on which the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages were taken up,” Srinivas Reddy said.The cabinet also took a strong stand on the Banakacherla project, vowing to resist it at all costs to safeguard Telangana’s share of river waters. Srinivas Reddy alleged that a ‘vicious campaign’ was being run to blame the Congress govt for the project, even though the foundation stone was laid during the previous BRS govt’s tenure.“To set the record straight, the govt will soon give a detailed power-point presentation to all elected representatives,” he said.Chief minister A Revanth Reddy, along with deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and other ministers, will address farmers at the Rythu Bharosa Vijayotsavam Sabha on Tuesday near the Rajiv Gandhi statue, opposite the Telangana Secretariat. The event marks the state govt’s achievement of depositing Rs 9,000 crore into the accounts of lakhs of farmers in just nine days.The Congress-led govt is organising victory celebrations across all Rythu Vedikas, villages, and mandal headquarters. On June 24, the final day of the celebrations, meetings will be held simultaneously across the state to showcase the govt’s commitment to farmers and agriculture. The chief minister is expected to highlight the rollout of Rythu Bharosa and other key welfare measures from the main stage in Hyderabad.“This is the first time in Telangana’s history that Rs 9,000 crore has been credited to farmers’ accounts in just nine days,” said Bhatti.“While the previous BRS govt gave Rs 10,000 per acre per year, our govt is giving Rs 12,000 per acre annually. We are not only delivering more, but doing it faster and without discrimination,” he added.Ahead of the event, agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, chief secretary Santhi Kumari, and senior officials from various departments reviewed the arrangements. Speaking after the review, Tummala said the Congress had a legacy of supporting farmers.
