Telangana Government to complete all water projects before polls

Hyderabad: In the wake of reports that 'One Nation One Election' will be held towards the end of 2022, the Telangana Government is going to accord top priority to the Irrigation sector and complete all the projects before the State goes for the simultaneous polls to the State Assembly and Lok Sabha.

Adequate allocations will be made for the completion of all lift irrigation schemes in the next two years. The government is keen to complete the projects, including a bunch of lift irrigation schemes for which foundation stones were laid by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao recently as he had announced that he would not seek votes if the lift irrigation projects were not completed before elections.

After the Government floated Kaleshwaram, Palamuru Ranga Reddy and Devadula Corporations to complete all the major lift irrigation schemes through borrowings from the financial institutions, the government had reduced allocations to the irrigation sector since 2017-18. In 2016-17, the government spent Rs 15,723 crore and in 2017-18, it was Rs 12,994 crore.

In 2018-19, the government could release only Rs 9,506 crore, officials said that in 2019-20, the government has put the Revised Estimates for irrigation at Rs 8,476 crore and in the current year, the budget outlay was projected at Rs 11,044 crore only.

It is estimated that nearly Rs 15,000 crore would be required to complete all the ongoing lift irrigation schemes if they were to be completed by end of 2022 financial year. Hence it proposes to substantially increase the allocation for irrigation in the new budget to be presented to the Assembly in March.