Congress stonewalling projects: Harish Rao

Hyderabad: Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao on Friday blamed the Congress leaders for causing hurdles and delaying the Udaya Samudram Lift Irrigation Scheme in Nalgonda district. Replying to a question regarding Udaya Samudram Project in the State Assembly, Harish Rao squarely blamed the Congress for constantly creating impediments to the efforts of the State government in taking up various irrigation projects. The Congress had been filing cases in courts and thus coming in the way of taking up the projects, he observed.

The Irrigation Minister pointed out that the State government acquired 140 acres as per GO 123 for the purpose of Udaya Samudram Project and even as the farmers were ready to give the rest of the required lands for the purpose, the Congress leaders brought a stay from the court on the implementation of GO 123, he explained and added that out of 3,248 acres of required land, 1,017 acres was acquired so far. Due to land acquisition problem, the work was getting delayed, he added.

Harish Rao also declared that the State government would complete Udaya Samudram Project within 10 months if the Congress leaders withdrew the court cases. He reminded that after the Land Acquisition Act came into being in 2013, no irrigation project had been completed all over the country. If needed, the Congress leaders can could visit other States and find out for themselves this aspect, he said and reiterated that it was the Congress coming in the way of taking up irrigation projects then and now.