Harish Rao seeks apex council meet on APRA violations

Hyderabad: Complimenting Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy for his strong letter to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry objecting to Andhra Pradesh's Banakacherla Project, senior BRS leader Harish Rao has suggested that the Irrigation Minister press the Centre to convene an Apex Council meeting to discuss violations of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014.
The BRS leader addressed a letter to the Irrigation Minister on Sunday, requesting him to convene an all party meeting or a special session of the Assembly to discuss the issue and formulate a policy decision. Mr Rao stated that, as per the Godavari Tribunal Award, engineers during the undivided Andhra Pradesh period had asserted the state should receive 1,480 TMC of water, with Telangana projects being allocated 969 TMCs through various Government Orders. However, due to a lack of project construction and several projects still being under construction, Telangana's utilisation had never even reached 200 TMCs.
He noted that the previous BRS government stabilised 19 lakh acres and also provided water to one lakh acres by undertaking barrages such as Sadarmat, Sundila, Annaram, Medigadda, Sammakkasagar, and Sitarammasagar in the Godavari basin. Mr Rao warned that with the Andhra Pradesh government attempting to draw 200 TMCs from the Godavari, Telangana stands to lose out. He recalled that even before the formation of the Godavari Tribunal, the AP government aimed to complete the Banakacherla project to divert 200 TMCs. He urged the Minister to hold discussions with engineers and make a favourable decision for Telangana.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

India Gazette

an hour ago

• India Gazette

KTR showcases Telangana's transformative journey at Oxford India Forum in UK

London [United Kingdom], June 21 (ANI): Former Minister and BRS Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) delivered a powerful and inspiring talk at the prestigious Oxford India Forum held at Oxford University, highlighting Telangana's exceptional growth story since its formation. Speaking on the theme 'Governing Innovation - A Telangana Case Study', KTR articulated how India's youngest state has emerged as a beacon of inclusive development, resilience, and economic transformation. In his address, KTR emphasised that Telangana was not created by chance but was the result of decades of peaceful democratic struggle. He referred to it as 'the most successful startup state of independent India' and proudly stated that Telangana has shown not only promise but also consistent delivery of development goals across sectors. He underscored that the formation of the state in 2014 was the culmination of decades of aspiration, and in just a short span, it has transformed into a model state admired across India and globally. KTR highlighted the impressive economic indicators that back Telangana's growth story. The state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has grown from Rs 4 lakh crore to Rs 15 lakh crore, and its per capita income has surged from Rs 1.12 lakh to Rs 3.57 lakh. Telangana has risen from the 12th position in the national economic rankings to among the top in multiple sectors, including agriculture, industry, and technology. However, KTR noted that Telangana's story goes beyond numbers and it is a tale of restoring dignity, empowering citizens, and building a resilient society. He illustrated how bold and innovative decisions led to revolutionary transformations. He pointed to landmark achievements such as the Kaleshwaram Project, the world's largest lift irrigation project, which was completed in a record four years and has dramatically transformed the irrigation landscape, contributing to Telangana becoming the number one state in inland fisheries. He noted that Telangana has provided safe drinking water to all one crore households and eradicated fluorosis. KTR also spoke of the immense strides Telangana has made in attracting global investments. Hyderabad, the state capital, is now home to the world's largest campuses of Amazon and other top global tech companies. The state also houses the world's largest innovation campus, T-Hub, which fosters thousands of startups. Telangana is also a global pharmaceutical hub, producing one-third of the world's vaccines. KTR stressed the importance of legislative reforms such as the TS-iPASS, which guarantees industrial clearances within 15 days or grants automatic approvals, making Telangana the top state in India in the ease of doing business rankings by NITI Aayog. He attributed the state's success to shifting from personality-based governance to process-driven, institutionalised systems that ensure transparency, efficiency, and accountability. Speaking of agriculture, he highlighted the landmark initiative of directly depositing $9 billion into the accounts of 70 lakh farmers under the Rythu Bandhu scheme, the largest of its kind in the world. He described this as a conscious choice to empower farmers with financial autonomy, leading to a phenomenal rise in agricultural output, including a jump in paddy production from 68 lakh metric tons to 3 crore tons in under a decade. During the fireside chat that followed, KTR responded to questions about his personal journey and political choices. He recounted how he left a promising career in the US to support the Telangana statehood movement led by KCR. He admitted that while politics is a challenging and often thankless field, it offers the unmatched reward of affecting meaningful change in people's lives. On the question of replicating Telangana's success in other Indian states, KTR identified two crucial elements: visionary leadership with a clear sense of purpose, and a strong institutional framework that encourages cooperative federalism. He stressed the need for a 'big brother' role from the Union Government in helping states complement each other's strengths rather than compete destructively. KTR also addressed the contentious issue of redistricting and regional disparities in India. He argued that basing the redrawing of Lok Sabha boundaries solely on population would unfairly penalise southern states like Telangana that have effectively implemented population control measures. Instead, he advocated for a GDP-based formula to reward high-performing states and ensure equitable representation in Parliament. When asked about the future priorities if he were to serve as Chief Minister, KTR asserted that economic growth would be his foremost focus. He emphasised the need to continue attracting investments, creating jobs, and expanding the state's economic base while also ensuring welfare measures for vulnerable sections of society. He advocated for a balanced approach that combines growth with compassion, economic expansion paired with inclusive development in health, education, and social welfare. KTR also addressed the question of women's participation in politics. He welcomed the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill and said the mandated one-third reservation would be a game-changer. However, he expressed hope that the country could aim even higher. Acknowledging that women often bring more focus and discipline to leadership roles, he predicted that their increasing participation in politics would significantly accelerate India's progress. At this global forum, KTR reiterated that he was not in Oxford to make a pitch, but to build partnerships. He said Telangana's journey is not just a geographic transformation but a blueprint for hope and aspiration that others could emulate. He invited institutions like Oxford to join hands with Telangana in scripting the next chapter of innovation and inclusive growth. KTR added, 'India is the future, and Telangana will continue to tell its story. This is not just a presentation; it's a promise. We authored a new chapter of Indian democracy, and we are ready to compete with the best in the world.' (ANI)

Hindustan Times

5 hours ago

• Hindustan Times

SIT summons BJP leader in T'gana phone-tapping case

The Special Investigation Team of the Telangana police probing the alleged phone tapping during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi regime, summoned a close aide of Union minister of state for home Bandi Sanjay for questioning in connection with the case, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) disclosed on Friday. The statement said the SIT, which began its investigation into phone tapping after the Congress came to power, had already confirmed that Bandi Sanjay's phone had been tapped (HT Archive) In a statement, the Telangana BJP said the SIT officials had confirmed on Friday that the phone of Bandi Sanjay's close aide and BJP Karimnagar Parliamentary constituency convenor, Boyinapalli Praveen Rao, was tapped during the previous BRS regime. 'The SIT authorities called up Praveen Rao and informed him that his phone number was also in the list of those which were tapped. They said they would summon him shortly, and he would be required to appear before the investigating authorities for questioning,' the BJP said. Meanwhile, BJP state general secretary Gujjula Premender Reddy, too, confirmed that he had received the information from the investigating authorities that his phone, too, was tapped during the previous regime. The statement said the SIT, which began its investigation into phone tapping after the Congress came to power, had already confirmed that Bandi Sanjay's phone had been tapped. 'Now, the investigation has revealed that the phones of his staff and close associates were also tapped,' it said. The party said Praveen Rao has been a long-time associate of Bandi Sanjay and had managed Sanjay's election campaigns in the past. 'In recent years, Praveen Rao has served as Sanjay's personal assistant and the BJP Karimnagar Parliamentary constituency convenor, coordinating constituency tours and supervising the execution of various programmes,' it said. It said Praveen Rao had taken part in the agitations of Sanjay during the BRS regime against forcible implementation of GO 317 (on employees' transfers), leakage of Class 10 examination paper, communal violence at Bhainsa and other such incidents. 'He was even named as a co-accused in several public agitation-related cases alongside Sanjay,' the party said. Premender Reddy also said the SIT authorities had informed him, too, that his phone was also tapped during the BRS regime. 'I shall hand over all the evidence and other details of my mobile phone to the Jubilee Hills police on Monday,' he said, adding that if the police did not take any action even after gathering all the details, the state government would be held responsible.

Business Standard

5 hours ago

• Business Standard

Rs 8,000 crore plan in works to clean Yamuna, fix drainage: Delhi CM

The Delhi government is currently working on more than 300 projects, allocated an outlay of Rs 8,000 crore, to clean Yamuna River and solve the city's sewage woes, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Friday. Gupta held a meeting with Water Minister Parvesh Verma and top Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials to review the work underway to fix the drainage and sewer system in the city. "The Delhi government is implementing a multi-pronged and phased plan for Yamuna rejuvenation, which includes drain treatment, sewerage network expansion and setting up of modern Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs)," the chief minister said in a statement. In the meeting, according to the statement, she reviewed a 45-point action plan, which included capacity enhancement and upgradation work at existing STPs located in Yamuna Vihar, Okhla, Keshopur, Vasant Kunj, Ghitorni, Mehrauli, and Molarbandh under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme and one each in Nilothi and Pappan Kalan. Gupta directed officials to replace old pipelines in phases. "Many parts of Delhi are still operating on decades-old water and sewer pipelines, which are no longer sustainable due to rapid urban growth and increasing demand. Officials have been instructed to undertake phase-wise planning and use modern technology to replace old infrastructure," she said. According to officials, the 303 drainage projects involve redevelopment of major drains, permanent solutions for waterlogging, installation of modern pumps, de-silting of drains, expansion of stormwater systems, and scientific drainage network management. Gupta said she will personally visit the Yamuna every month to check the progress in its cleaning. She also claimed that Delhi will soon become a 'model' city in terms of equitable water distribution under the Centre's Har Ghar Nal Se Jal initiative. Verma stated that strict directions have been issued for immediate action against the illegal discharge of untreated sewage and industrial waste in the city. "This is a crisis that can no longer be ignored. Delhi cannot afford to let untreated sewage flow into its lifelines. No polluter will be spared. We will act and act fast," he said.