KCR Dedicates Project to Nation : TS wants national project status for Kaleshwaram

Bhupalpally: The Rs 80,000-crore biggest dream project of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was inaugurated here on Friday in the presence of Governor ESL Narasimhan, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.

The grand event is being considered as a major step towards building golden Telangana.

The Kaleshwaram project, being billed as the largest multi-stage, multipurpose lift irrigation scheme on river Godavari, will divert 180 TMC of flood waters to Sripada Sagar, Yellampalli barrage and then to Mallanna Sagar from the Pranahita confluence point.

With reverse pumping system, Godavari waters will irrigate about 38 lakh acres and will also provide water for industries and supply drinking water to Hyderabad and Secunderabad as well.

Interestingly, while the project was being inaugurated at Bhupalpally at a grand function, state Finance Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao urged the Centre to accord national project status to Kaleshwaram.

Participating in pre-budget state Finance Ministers' meeting convened by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in new Delhi, Rao said the TS government took up the Kaleshwaram project at an estimated cost of Rs 88,000 crore. Additional funds are required to complete the project.

The cost of the project has been mostly met from borrowings by the Kaleshwaram Corporation. As the debt servicing burden is huge, he urged the Centre to declare it as a national project and fund the entire cost of the project. He also wanted adequate budget provision in the Union Budget for the project.

KCR was the first to arrive at the project site accompanied by his wife. The officials had made elaborate arrangements for performing Yagnas before the inauguration of the project.

The Chief Minister and his wife participated in the Jalashaya Prathisthanga Yagam, Jala Sankalpa Mahostavam conducted by Vedic scholars from the Sringeri Peetham. Panchayat Raj Minister E Dayakar Rao and his wife performed other rituals.

At 11.23 am, which was fixed as the auspicious time, KCR unveiled the plaque at Medigadda barrage dedicating the project to the nation. At 11.26 am, Medigadda barrage was inaugurated.

At 1.07 pm, KCR had switched on the Kannepally Pumphouse and pumping of water started at 1.15 pm diverting Godavari waters to the parched lands of Telangana.

Agriculture Minister Niranjan Reddy launched the Annaram barrage, while Home Minister Mehmood Ali inaugurated Annaram pumphouse and Welfare Minister Koppula Easwar Sundilla barrage and pumphouse.

Labour Minister Malla Reddy started Medaram pumphouse, while Education Minister Jagdeesh Reddy launched Laxmipur pumphouse.

Later, KCR along with the Governor and two Chief Minister guests went up to the Maharashtra border travelling by car on the bridge.

They inspected the water storage inside the Medigadda barrage. KCR explained to them in detail how water will be supplied to Telangana from Medigadda barrage.

The CM said the historic agreement between Telangana and Maharashtra helped in making the project a reality. He thanked Fadnavis for all the support and cooperation he had extended to the project.

At Kannepally pumphouse inauguration, the CM took the Governor and the two CMs to base level to show them the pumps, their capacity and usage.