BRS failed to secure Telangana’s rightful share in Krishna and Godavari Rivers: Bhatti

Presenting the budget in the State Assembly here on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said that after achieving Telangana through relentless struggle of the people, the previous government failed to take any decisive action to secure the State’s rightful share of Krishna and Godavari River water allocations.

Moreover, the then government officially permitted Andhra Pradesh to utilize 511 TMC out of the 811 TMC of Krishna River water, depriving Telangana of its fair share and causing a severe injustice to the state’s farmers.

“To secure Telangana’s rightful share of water, we have presented comprehensive, data-backed arguments before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal. We highlighted how Andhra Pradesh, despite being allocated less water, has been utilizing more than its fair share, and urged the tribunal to take corrective measures,” he said.

“To ensure accurate monitoring and regulation of water usage, we proposed the implementation of a telemetry system to track real time water consumption in both states. We also expressed our willingness to bear the cost of establishing this system if necessary, ensuring that Telangana’s water resources are protected and not diverted unfairly,” Vikramarka Bhatti said.

For ensuring the timely completion of all pending irrigation projects across the state, we have developed a strategic plan, prioritizing them into category A and B based on urgency and impact. The government's primary goal is to bring maximum agricultural land under cultivation with minimal expenditure. As part of this effort, we have launched the Udaya Samudram–Brahmana Velamala Lift Irrigation Project to provide water to drought-prone areas in Nalgonda and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri districts,” he said.

This project will lift 6.70 TMC of water from the Udaya Samudram Balancing Reservoir to the Brahmana Velamala Balancing Reservoir. Once completed, this project will irrigate one lakh acres across 94 villages and supply safe drinking water to 107 villages affected by fluoride contamination, significantly improving both agricultural productivity and public health.

As part of S. Jaipal Reddy Palamuru RangaReddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, the State government will immediately take up the construction of K.P.Laxmi Devi palli reservoir. The government has granted administrative approval for the revitalization of the Bunadigani Canal under the Musi Project, with an allocated budget of Rs.266.65 crore.

These funds will be utilized for the comprehensive restoration and modernization of the Bunadigani Canal, along with the Pillayipally and Dharmareddypally Canals in Yadadri district,optimizing water distribution, and boosting agricultural productivity, ensuring long-term benefits for farmers in the region.