All-party meeting on irrigation projects today

Hyderabad: Pulling curtains down on the slanging match between the TRS and the Congress on various issues like slow progress on the works of ongoing irrigation projects and implementing the pension’s scheme, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced that he would convene an all-party meeting on Thursday to work out an action plan for speedy completion.

The issue figured during a short discussion on the Alimineti Madhava Reddy-Srisailam Left Bank Canal (AMR-SLBC) Project in the Zero Hour. While the Congress alleged the works on the project were moving at a snail’s pace, the TRS said it was the Congress which should take the responsibility since it took almost nine years to finalise the tenders. “We have inherited your legacy and are struggling to bring things back on track,” Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao said.

Taking part in the discussion, KCR said there was no point in accusations and counter accusations. Instead, cutting across party lines and rising above political affiliations, they could sit together and resolve the issue and also decide whether or not to continue with the present contractor, Jaypee Group, and also decide whether or not to pay an amount of Rs.730 crore towards cost escalation or change the contractor.

KCR took the opportunity to dwell on the ‘injustice’ meted out to Telangana in the era of undivided Andhra Pradesh. He said had the tunnel was taken up by manual digging it could have been completed by now. But the tunneling machine which was working now digs only 0.6 km per month.

Earlier, the House had to be adjourned for 10 minutes following the demand of Congress members to suspend the Question Hour and take up a discussion on the non-receipt of pensions under the ‘Aasara’ scheme. The Speaker rejected their plea and adjourned the House for 10 minutes.