Congress, TD couldn’t give water in 60 years, says KCR

Mr Rao said that the leaders of the Congress and the TD had failed to provide water to irrigate crops by not completing projects even after ruling the state for over 60 years.

He was addressing a gathering after inspecting the Gandipalli and Gouravelli reservoirs in Husnaband Assembly constituency. Mr Rao took strong exception to the objections and criticism levelled by the Congress and the TD against his government over the new design of Pranahita-Chevella irrigation project and Thotapalli balancing reservoir. Hitting out at the two parties, he said that they could not provide six milli litres of water despite ruling the state for 60 years.

“Leaders of these parties worked as office attendants (gumastha). Therefore, they are not aware of how to conceive the projects,” he said. He said many irrigation projects had not been completed so far because their costs had shot up manifold as some leaders of these parties swindled public money. Successive governments led by the Congress and the TD had hastily envisaged many projects. As a result, the state, in particular Husnabad, was undergoing shortage of water for agriculture and drinking. These parties were creating unnecessary controversies.

On the sanitation staff strike, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao said some parties and unions were intentionally protesting, demanding minimum wages. “Does the state pay salaries to sanitation staff of urban and rural civic bodies? The employees get wages from funds generated through taxation by a civic body,” he said.