Hyderabad: Excise and tourism minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Friday accused former minister and BRS MLA T Harish Rao of adopting double standards on irrigation projects in the Palamuru (Mahbubnagar) region and challenged him to an open debate.Addressing the media at the CLP office, the minister sought to remind Harish Rao that the previous BRS govt itself had issued govt orders (GOs) for projects like the Gollapalli reservoir, which is now being opposed by the BRS for political gain.The BRS leaders should stop misleading the people. “In 2016, the previous BRS govt sanctioned Rs 4,177 crore for reservoir works and later proposed 27 reservoirs, including Gollapalli, in 2019. Were these projects taken up for public benefit or financial gain by the previous BRS govt?” asked minister Jupally.He also dismissed claims that 80% of the Palamuru-Rangareddy project had been completed. “Key components such as canals, land acquisition, and administrative approvals remain incomplete. No substantial irrigation benefits reached farmers,” alleged the minister.The previous govt failed to secure a fair share of Krishna River waters for Telangana. Despite claims of money being spent over the past decade, irrigation benefits did not reach the farmers of Palamuru, he claimed.Minister Jupally accused that irrigation projects were used to benefit contractors and said several works, including those under the Kalwakurthy project, remain incomplete. “But the Congress govt is committed to completing projects transparently and in the interest of farmers,” he said.
