HYDERABAD – In a sharp political critique, senior BRS leader and former irrigation minister T. Harish Rao has expressed strong disapproval of the Congress Government’s ambitious proposal to revive the Pranahita irrigation project.
Harish Rao specifically targeted the plan to develop the Pranahita project, stretching from Tummidihetti to Yellampally. He highlighted its substantial cost of ₹35,000 crore, arguing that it would only manage to lift 80 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water annually, thereby providing irrigation for a mere 4.47 lakh acres.
During a statement released on Friday, the former minister drew a stark contrast with the existing Kaleshwaram project. He reminded the public that Kaleshwaram, which draws water from Medigadda to Mallannasagar-Kondapochammasagar, boasts the capacity to stabilize irrigation for 18 lakh acres of existing farmland and develop new irrigation for an additional 19 lakh acres, all by utilizing a far greater 240 TMC of water.
Further emphasizing his point, Harish Rao detailed the financial discrepancies: Kaleshwaram was built at a cost of ₹84,000 crore, whereas the proposed Pranahita project is estimated at ₹35,000 crore—roughly 42% of Kaleshwaram’s expenditure. Despite this significant cost, Pranahita is designed to deliver only 12% of the irrigation benefits provided by the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP). He sarcastically referred to the Congress government’s initiative as an “engineering marvel,” questioning if this was the kind of “change” the ruling party promised.
Beyond the irrigation debate, Mr. Rao also extended his criticism to the government’s transport policy. He condemned the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation’s (TGSRTC) decision to impose an additional 50% charge on passengers during the upcoming Bathukamma and Dasara festivals, ostensibly for “additional services.” He claimed that this was a deceptive practice, asserting that the corporation would simply designate regular buses as “special” to justify the inflated fares, without actually providing extra vehicles.