Congress Govt committed to protecting Telangana’s Krishna water rights: Uttam Kumar Reddy

HYDERABAD: Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy reaffirmed the Congress Government’s determination to secure Telangana’s rightful share of Krishna River water, accusing the previous BRS administration of failing to safeguard the state’s water interests.

During the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the Governor’s Address in the Telangana Assembly on Saturday, he alleged that the BRS government surrendered Telangana’s water rights to Andhra Pradesh, allowing illegal diversions to continue unchecked.

Pointing to the unfair distribution of Krishna River water, he noted that Andhra Pradesh receives 512 TMC, while Telangana gets only 299 TMC, despite its larger catchment area and drought-prone agricultural regions. He criticized the BRS government for not challenging this inequality, which led to severe water losses for Telangana.

Uttam Kumar Reddy blamed the previous administration for enabling Andhra Pradesh to move forward with the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) by delaying the Apex Council meeting, a key platform to contest the project. He also questioned how Andhra Pradesh expanded its irrigation capacity unchecked while Telangana’s leaders remained passive.

Citing Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) data, he highlighted how Andhra Pradesh consistently used over 64% of Krishna water between 2014 and 2021, leaving Telangana with less than 36%. He further pointed out that while AP’s water usage increased significantly, Telangana’s share saw only a marginal rise, a consequence of the previous government’s inaction.

Since 2014, Andhra Pradesh has significantly increased its water withdrawal capacity, expanding the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator from 44,000 cusecs in 2005 to 92,600 cusecs in 2023. The construction of RLIS, the Veligonda Project, and other diversion schemes has further strengthened AP’s ability to extract water, impacting Telangana’s irrigation projects such as Kalwakurthy, Nettampadu, and Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Schemes.

Uttam Kumar Reddy accused the previous BRS irrigation ministers, KCR and Harish Rao, of failing to take legal or political action to stop Andhra Pradesh’s excessive withdrawals. He criticized them for not approaching the Supreme Court or the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT-II) despite clear violations of Telangana’s water rights.

To address these challenges, he announced that the Congress Government is taking corrective measures, including the installation of telemetry instruments at Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam Dams to monitor water levels and prevent unauthorized diversions by Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking from his experience as a six-time MLA and former MP representing the Krishna Basin, he pledged to reopen the Krishna water dispute and fight for Telangana’s rightful share.

Congress Government’s Social Justice Initiatives

Shifting focus to social justice, Uttam Kumar Reddy highlighted the historic caste-based socio-economic survey conducted by the Congress Government—the first such survey since 1931. He accused the BRS government of withholding crucial data, questioning why the 2014 Intensive Household Survey (IHS) was never presented in the Assembly.

Unlike previous administrations, he stated, the Congress Government ensured a transparent survey, involving over 1.03 lakh government employees and 76,000 data entry operators, with Rs 160 crore allocated to ensure accuracy.

The survey found that the BC population had increased by 6%, while the OC population had declined, countering opposition claims. Uttam Kumar Reddy reaffirmed the government’s commitment to SC categorization, as per Supreme Court orders and Justice Shameem Akhtar Commission recommendations. He also assured that those left out of the survey would get another opportunity to register their details.

“The Congress Government, under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, remains dedicated to ensuring social justice and protecting Telangana’s resources,” he concluded.

Congress Government Committed To Social Justice

During my speech in the Assembly today, I spoke about the historic caste-based socio-economic survey conducted by the Congress Government, marking the first such survey since 1931. pic.twitter.com/GoIYy8SVCj

— Uttam Kumar Reddy (@UttamINC) March 15, 2025