Telangana cabinet to discuss action on Kaleshwaram irregularities

Hyderabad: A crucial Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is scheduled for Sunday, where the Telangana government is expected to decide on initiating criminal or departmental action against those responsible for irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) during the previous BRS government.

The meeting follows the submission of a detailed 650-page report by the Justice P.C. Ghose Commission, which was set up to probe the sinking of piers at Medigadda barrage and damages to the Annaram and Sundilla barrages. The commission submitted its findings to the state government on July 31, and the report was officially handed over to the Chief Minister on Friday.

The state has formed a high-level committee with senior officials from the Irrigation, Law, and General Administration Departments to study the report and prepare a summary for the Cabinet’s review. The committee’s report was submitted to the Cabinet on Saturday evening.

Sources suggest that the government may direct the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) or Crime Investigation Department (CID) to take further action based on the commission’s findings.

Speaking at events in Peddapalli district, Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy confirmed that the Cabinet will soon take a policy decision based on the report. He strongly criticised the Kaleshwaram project, calling it a Rs.1 lakh crore failure.

He alleged that the Medigadda barrage has not delivered any benefits, and pointed out that not a single acre of land in Manthani constituency, through which the project passes, has been irrigated.

Despite this, the Minister noted that Telangana continues to achieve record paddy production, proving that the state’s agricultural success does not depend solely on Kaleshwaram

Reddy also reiterated that the government remains committed to protecting Telangana’s irrigation rights and will firmly oppose any attempts to divert Godavari waters out of the state.