Only 30% Funds Spent on Palamuru–Ranga Reddy Project: Minister Uttam

Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday said that only 30 per cent of the allocated funds have been spent on the Palamuru–Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Project, questioning how the project could be claimed as 90 per cent complete with such limited expenditure.

He pointed out that while a government order for the project was issued in 2015, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted only in 2022. The minister alleged that the same seriousness shown in obtaining approvals for the Kaleshwaram project was not extended to the Palamuru–Ranga Reddy project.

Uttam further stated that while around Rs 90,000 crore was spent on the Kaleshwaram project, only about Rs 27,000 crore was allocated to the Palamuru–Ranga Reddy project, highlighting what he described as unequal prioritisation.