Rama Krishna Sangem
Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu has said Congress leaders are ready for a debate on irrigation projects in the State. “Your pet projects are steeped in corruption while our projects are dedicated to people. Our Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy and I are ready for a discussion anywhere any time on projects started by us, what were completed at a lesser cost,” said the Deputy Chief Minister.
Speaking at a public meeting at Wyra to mark loan waiver for farmers upto Rs 2 lakh on August 15, Thursday, Bhatti said the Congress government waived farmers’ loans upto Rs 2 lakh at one go as promised. Loan waiver of Rs 2 lakh at one go was never done in the history of the country so far.
The Congress Party had announced before Parliament elections that they would implement loan waiver by August 15. Every one thought it would not be possible, “even I was little worried about the deadline”, Mr Bhatti said adding they were glad that on the Independence Day, they took up two important programmes- Farmers’ loan waiver and commencing Sitarama lift irrigation pumps .
Bhatti said he had started his political career in Wyra and glad that as Deputy CM and Finance Minister he could participate in the public meeting to celebrate implementstion of two important programmes.
There was no comparison between the previous BRS government and the present Congress government. The previous government could not implement its promise of one lakh loan waiver for farmers for 10 years while Congress government implemented Rs 2 lakh loan waiver at one go in 15 days.
Rs 72,000 cr for agriculture in budget
The Congress government had allocated Rs 72,000 crore to the agriculture and allied sectors in the State Budget for 2024-25. The loan waiver amount would be released once the Chief Minister gave his order today and tomorrow being working day amount would be credited into accounts of farmers.
He recalled that the then Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy with an intention to bring Godavari waters to Khammam district had laid foundation prior to State bifurcation at Rudram Kota. Indira Sagar, Rudram Kota lift irrigation scheme in EPC mode was commenced with an estimated cost of Rs 1,824 crore and spent Rs 1,068 crore. The Congress government had to spend balance of only Rs 756 crore.
The then Congress government also started Rajiv Sagar and Dummugudem LI project at an estimated cost of Rs 1,681 crore and spent Rs 889 crore and only balance amount of Rs 793 crore was to be spent. The above two projects had required only Rs 1,548 crore to be completed. This would have brought two lakh acres under each project under cultivation.
Unfortunately BRS party assumed power after formation of Telangana State . Had the BRS government released the pending meagre amount, four lakh acres in Khammam district would have got irrigation facility. But as the BRS government neglected these projects for 10 years, four lakh acres did not get water, Bhatti said.
