Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister-designate K. Chandrasekhar Rao has decided in principle to complete all major irrigation projects that are pending in the region within the next two years.
Before leaving for New Delhi to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday evening held a detailed review of the pending irrigation projects in Telangana with some retired engineers at Telangana Bhavan for over four hours.
Mr Chandrasekhar Rao noted that he may have to appoint retired engineers, keeping the vacancies in the irrigation department in mind. He said retired engineers who have enough experience in the field, could help finish the pending projects in record time. He asked retired engineers to furnish names of those who can work again in the department.
When it was brought to his notice that a lot of money is required to complete the projects as most of them need lifting of water, Mr Rao said he will approach the World Bank and other international financial institutions if need be and ensure there is no scarcity of funds. Mr Rao reportedly indicated that he will appoint a major irrigation minister who will be dedicated to work for at least 18 hours a day and quite capable of handling the portfolio.
However, he avoided naming the irrigation minister. Mr Rao also said supply of power to lift irrigation projects would not be a problem as he had plans to develop power units in the region.
Coming out of the meeting, TRS politburo member and former Central Water Commi-ssion chief engineer R. Vidyasagar Rao told the media that under the leadership of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao, Telangana region would soon witness faster development in irrigation and the government was going to concentrate on schemes that accrue immediate benefits to the people of the region.
