TDP Neglected Irrigation Projects : Buganna Rajendranath

AMARAVATI : Finance Minister Buganna Rajendranath said that irrigation projects in Rayalaseema were grossly neglected by the previous TDP government.

Speaking during the question hour, the minister said the Krishna Waters Tribunal (KWT-1) as per the Bachawat Award had stipulated that out of the capacity of 2130 TMC feet in Krishna river, the quota for AP is over 800 TMC feet, over 700 TMC feet for Karnataka and 500 TMC feet for Maharashtra was allocated.

The Bachawat Award had clearly mentioned that out of the excess water, the states would not get any quota if they construct new projects.

Brijesh Kumar Tribunal was then formed and TDP completely neglected the issue. Later, YS Rajasekhar Reddy had given utmost importance to irrigation sector and taken up the projects in the right earnest.

With this, Maharshtra and Karnataka governments had approached the tribunal and also moved the court. The two states had questioned how AP could construct projects if it has no right on the excess water of the river.

Then the YSR government had moved an Interlocutory Application (IP) seeking the construction of five irrigation projects by claiming that the decision was as per the Bachawat Award.

If the work done by the TDP government in the construction of irrigation projects in Rayalaseema region is taken into consideration, the cost estimate for Hundri-Neeva Srujala Sravanti project was Rs 5,000 crores, the TDP government had spent only Rs 13 crores in the nine-year rule.

The YSR government had spent over Rs 3,000 crores for the same project.

With reference to the Galeru-Nagari Sujala Sravanti project, Rs 5036 crores was spent between 2004 and 2014, Rs 6593 crores was spent for HNSS project.

However, most of the amount was spent by Rajasekhar Reddy government between 2004 and 2009.

Had the TDP government which had come to power after the death of Rajasekhar Reddy spent anything on the two projects, they would have been completed by now, he Finance Minister said.