HYDERABAD: Irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday accused the BRS leadership of exploiting drought and emerging water-stress conditions to spread false propaganda that Telangana’s Krishna and Godavari waters were being diverted to Andhra Pradesh. He said the BRS was attempting to derive political mileage from farmers’ distress instead of standing by them during difficult times.
Uttam Kumar Reddy, who participated in several official programmes and inspected ongoing construction works of lift irrigation schemes and the Young India Integrated Residential School in Suryapet district, strongly rejected the allegations of water diversion. Nalgonda MP Raghuveer Reddy, Kodad MLA N. Padmavathi Reddy, district collector Tejas Nandlal Pawar and other officials accompanied him.
The minister said Telangana had utilised more Krishna and Godavari waters under the Congress government than during the previous BRS regime and had also recorded higher agricultural acreage, paddy production and procurement. “Since the Congress government assumed office on December 7, 2023, Telangana has utilised more Krishna and Godavari waters. We have also achieved higher agricultural acreage, paddy production and procurement. The allegations of water being diverted are baseless,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that BRS leaders were deliberately relishing the drought and water stress caused by El Nino instead of supporting farmers and people. He said the irrigation sector had inherited serious challenges from the decade-long BRS rule and the Congress government was working to address them.
He said the state government had paid ₹90,000 crore to paddy farmers through procurement since assuming office, with payments credited within 48 hours.
Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that the long-pending Jawahar Janapahad Branch Canal Lift Irrigation Scheme would be commissioned by January-end, supplying Krishna water to 10,000 acres in 15 villages in the Pulichintala foreshore region.
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