Inquiries Into Irregularities In Irrigation Projects: Uttam Kumar Reddy

Minister for Irrigation Uttam Kumar Reddy today said that the State government would order an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the construction of the Kaleswaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP).

Speaking to the media after holding a review meeting with officials on the various irrigation projects, Reddy said that during the previous government's regime, there was a discussion among the people about a huge scale of corruption in the construction of projects, issuance of secret GOs and secrecy in the irrigation department, and said that such bad perception should go and there should be transparency in the irrigation department.

"Officials should keep in mind that all projects are being constructed with the people's money, and the works in the irrigation department should be taken up in a transparent manner. The irrigation projects are very important for the State, and there should be third party checks of all works. Everyone should work sincerely and remove the misconceptions among the people about the department," Reddy said.

He also said that the Congress government would complete all the pending irrigation projects, and would pay attention to the management of the 40,000 ponds across the State.

The minister also said that he would discuss the issue of water sharing in the Krishna river between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh with the union government, and would try to resolve it as early as possible.

During the meeting, Reddy also enquired about the consumption of power for the lift irrigation projects, and conducted an in-depth review on the status of the Kaleshwaram, Palamuru-Rangareddy, Sitarama and other irrigation projects in Telangana.