Hyderabad: Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao today alleged that the previous Congress government swindled several crores of public funds in the name of mobilization advances and design of irrigation projects.
Talking to mediapersons at Assembly media- point after the budget session adjourned for a tea-break, the minister said the TRS government was correcting the “misdeeds and mistakes” of the previous government with regard to irrigation projects. Though the GO pertaining to Pranahita was released in 2007, the Congress leaders ignored works till 2013. Launching a blitzkrieg at the Congress government for failing to complete irrigation projects during its 10-year rule, the minister accused the former of “looting” money and now spiking the projects from being completed. The Congress leaders pocketed about Rs 1400 crore in the name of advances for mobilization works and thanks to the leaders for not completing projects besides digging canals even thought the Maharashtra denied waters to the State.
It is a known fact that the Congress indulged in omissions and commissions as they lacked any commitment to complete the projects. He sought to know why they could not ask Kiran Kumar Reddy regime to complete the projects besides swindling Rs 385 crore for survey and design works. Harish Rao also ridiculed then Congress government for calling tenders without taking up the issue of the irrigation projects with the neighbouring Maharashtra, which denied waters to the combined State.
Harish Rao pointed out that despite Congress regime in AP, Maharashtra and at the Centre, the leaders could not increase the height of Pranahitha project, he bemoaned. “They assumed Pranahitha height to be at 152 ft and called for tenders without talking to the Maharashtra government for its cooperation. Now we are taking all steps to correct misdeeds of the previous government and the Congress leaders cannot question this”, Harish Rao said.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was adopting a strategy and held talks twice with his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis, he said. Harish also stated that he too held talks and convinced the Maharashtra officials who agreed ink joint agreement. The Congress should at least now stop fingering the irrigation interests being protected by the ruling party, he suggested. “We will irrigate one lakh acres in every Assembly segment on speedy completion of the projects, he said, adding that Pranahita will be completed as per schedule. (NSS)
We’re correcting Congress’ misdeeds: Harish
