Hyderabad: Irrigation minister T. Harish Rao lashed out at the Congress and others for “blindly opposing” every scheme and project taken up by TRS government. “They oppose construction of the Kala Bharathi cultural centre, construction of the new building for Osmania General Hospital, irrigation projects and development works, which is ridiculous,” he said.
Making a special mention of the Congress agitation for taking up the Totapalli irrigation project, he said the TRS government would take up projects that benefit the people but not contractors as was done by the Congress.
“When there is a good scheme launched by the Congress we are continuing it like pension, rice scheme and fee reimbursement. From Rs 200 we hiked the pension to Rs 1,000 and increased rice quota per head to 6kg from 4 kg,” he said.
Hitting out at the Congress for its “uncalled-for protests” demanding taking up the Totapalli irrigation project, he said “a mere Rs 100 crore would ensure irrigation facilities to 2 lakh acres, but the Congress wants us to spend Rs 1,000 crore, submerge six villages and demolish 3,800 houses to ensure the same acreage. We are are not inclined to doing this.”
Mr Harish Rao took pot shots at TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy, Congress leaders Jeevan Reddy, Sridhar Babu, Ponnam Prabhakar and others for criticising the government. “Why were these leaders silent when the projects were kept pending during Congress rule? Why didn’t they raise a hue and cry then? They failed to complete the Mid-Manair project which we will do,” he said.
