The Minister said the Congress government is now firmly defending Telangana’s claims
HYDERABAD: Irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday vowed that the Congress government will fight to secure a fair share of Krishna river waters for Telangana, and correct “a historic betrayal on this issue” by the previous BRS regime.
“The BRS government surrendered Telangana’s rights by accepting just 299 TMC out of the total 811 TMC Krishna river allocation, leaving 512 TMC to Andhra Pradesh. This was not a negotiation, it was a sellout,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
Speaking to reporters in Chintalapalem mandal of Suryapet district, the Minister said the Congress government is now firmly defending Telangana’s claims. “We have reopened the issue before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal and are demanding a 70:30 ratio - 70% for Telangana and 30% for Andhra Pradesh - based on catchment area, cultivable land, drought-prone zones and population,” he said.
“Our government is committed to correcting every wrong committed by the BRS,” he added.
He said the goal of the Congress government is to ensure irrigation to drought-hit districts of the former Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda, and Khammam regions by fully using Krishna waters through targeted irrigation projects.
The minister also announced that the Dondapadu-2 Lift Irrigation Scheme will be named after former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Marking the death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi on Wednesday, Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with other Congress leaders, garlanded the statue of Rajiv Gandhi in Huzurnagar constituency.
