Uttam Asks Centre To Reject Banakacherla-Godavari PFR

Telangana Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy today urged the Union Government to immediately reject the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) of the Godavari-Banakacherla Link Project proposed by Andhra Pradesh.

He also called for halting the submission of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and stopping any move to invite or award tenders related to the project.

In a letter to Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil on June 13, Reddy said that the project not only violated the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) Award of 1980 and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act (APRA) 2014, but also posed a direct and unacceptable threat to Telangana's rightful share of river waters.

The minister spoke of serious concerns arising from a meeting held on June 2, 2025, chaired by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Sajjan Yadav and attended by Senior Joint Commissioner of the Ministry of Jal Shakti Amit Kumar Jha, where the Andhra Pradesh Government was reportedly asked to submit the DPR for the Godavari-Banakacherla project.

Expressing strong objections, the minister wrote, "It is a matter of grave concern to us that the AP state government is being asked by the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, in the presence of the Senior Joint Commissioner of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, to submit the DPR of the Godavari-Banakacherla link, which technically implies that the underlying PFR is deemed to have been approved."

He said that such a move would not only be procedurally flawed but would also violate the fundamental principles of interstate water governance. "Usually, a DPR can be submitted to the CWC only after the PFR has been approved. Does the Government of India's request to submit the DPR imply that the PFR has already been approved by the CWC?" he asked.

Asserting Telangana's firm opposition, he added, "We strongly object to the Centre asking the AP Government to submit the DPR. We firmly oppose the Godavari-Banakacherla Project."

Responding to allegations by BRS MLA Harish Rao, Reddy said the Congress government acted swiftly and decisively the moment Andhra Pradesh moved ahead with the Banakacherla-Godavari project.

"When the AP Chief Minister wrote to the Centre seeking funds, I immediately raised formal objections with both the Union Jal Shakti and Finance Ministers on January 22, 2025. Again, on June 13, I demanded rejection of the PFR, stoppage of the DPR and halting of tenders. The Telangana Congress government did not stay silent - we initiated the legal and institutional fight from day one," he said.

Terming Harish Rao's accusations as baseless and misleading, the minister claimed it was the BRS government that weakened Telangana's position on river water rights. "They reduced Telangana's Krishna allocation from 724 to 299 tmcft while granting 512 tmcft to Andhra Pradesh. That betrayal laid the foundation for today's crisis," he alleged.

Reddy also alleged that during the BRS regime, water diversions at Mucchumarri and Malyala intensified unchecked. "Even when tenders were finalised for the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project, the BRS government failed to approach the Apex Council or take action. Andhra Pradesh has been diverting 3 tmcft daily while KCR looked the other way. It was a silent deal between Jagan and KCR - BRS allowed Andhra to plunder Telangana's water," he alleged.