Palamuru to irrigate Ranga Reddy district too after K Chandrasekhar Rao order

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday instructed irrigation officials to start and complete the Palamuru Lift Irrigation scheme within two years and asked them to do whatever is required to finish the scheme within the stipulated time.

However, there is an element of confusion in the scheme. The CM instructed officials to conduct a survey to extend the Palamuru scheme to irrigate maximum areas possible in Ranga Reddy district too, that were originally contemplated under Pranahita-Chevella scheme.

There was criticism against the government for limiting the Pranahita Lift scheme up to Medak district and removing Ranga Reddy district component from the scheme.

Almost all political parties barring TRS staged demonstrations recently for scuttling the Ranga Reddy component from Pranahita scheme, against which the previous Congress government had spent around Rs 3,000 crore.

The confusion was compounded when the CM laid the foundation stone for the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy lift scheme for irrigation of 7 lakh acres in 11 segments of Mahbubnagar district, 2.75 lakh acres in six segments in RR and 30,000 acres in two segments of Nalgonda at a cost of around Rs 35,000 crore.

However, in today’s meeting the CM instructed irrigation officials to explore the possibilities of taking the water to as many areas in Ranga Reddy district which are part of Pranahita-Chevella.

The CM instructed officials to take up simultaneous survey, preparation of estimates, calling for tenders, awarding contracts and complete all works within two years.