Telangana Government Seeks Centre’s Support to Complete Pending Irrigation Projects

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, along with Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Minister Vakiti Srihari, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and invited him to the Khelo India Youth Games scheduled to be held in Telangana until November 22. During the meeting, the state delegation discussed pending approvals and financial assistance for several irrigation projects. Speaking to the media later, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Chief Minister had requested the Prime Minister to expedite environmental clearances for the Palamuru–Rangareddy, Sitarama Sagar and Dindi projects. He said successive governments had spent around ₹50,000 crore on these projects, but the examination of environmental applications had been delayed even after the Supreme Court verdict. The delegation also sought the Centre's intervention in securing Maharashtra's approval for maintaining the full reservoir level of 152 metres at Tummidihatti, stating that Telangana was prepared to compensate Maharashtra for any additional submergence. The Prime Minister was also requested to expedite the Chhattisgarh government's No Objection Certificate for the Sammakka–Saralamma barrage. Uttam said the state had submitted the IIT Kharagpur submergence report and deposited the amount sought for the additional Detailed Project Report (DPR). The state also urged the Centre to examine the Sammakka–Saralamma DPR under the guidelines applicable when it was originally submitted. Uttam is scheduled to meet the Central Water Commission Chairman on November 16, while Revanth Reddy and Uttam are expected to meet the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister on November 17.

The delegation also sought financial assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana for 2027–28, proposing ₹5,856 crore for four projects. These include ₹5,183 crore for the Sitarama Sagar–Sitarama Integrated Project, ₹392 crore for Modikunta Vagu, ₹178 crore for Chinna Kaleshwaram and ₹103 crore for Chanaka–Korata. Uttam said Telangana had so far received ₹1,457 crore under the Centre's special assistance scheme for capital investment and sought an additional ₹5,000 crore to complete the final stages of projects that are 70–90 per cent complete. He said the state could utilise the funds by March 31, 2027, and provide irrigation water to new ayacut areas within a year. The delegation also explained the impact of El Niño, rainfall deficiency and declining groundwater levels, submitting the Central Ground Water Board's September report and seeking ₹5,000 crore in special assistance for groundwater conservation and replenishment. Uttam said adequate drinking water reserves had been maintained in reservoirs until the next monsoon and appealed to farmers not to cultivate paddy during the upcoming Yasangi season. He also stated that experts had concluded that lifting water from the damaged Medigadda barrage was not feasible under the present conditions. According to the minister, expert reports identified design and construction deficiencies in the foundations of the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages, which reportedly used similar secant pile foundations. He alleged that Medigadda was damaged during the previous government's tenure and criticised the decision to divert the Pranahita–Chevella project, on which ₹11,000 crore had reportedly been spent and 30 per cent of the work completed, towards Medigadda. He further alleged that the diversion was intended to benefit through commissions. The minister said Godavari water was currently being lifted through the Devadula and Sitarama projects downstream. He added that Prime Minister Modi had responded positively and assured the delegation that Telangana's requests would be examined.