The Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Project (PRLIS), envisioned to provide irrigation and drinking water to the drought-prone combined districts of Mahabubnagar and Ranga Reddy, is facing significant setbacks due to the Congress government’s apathy. Initiated under the KCR government with an estimated budget of Rs. 35,000 crores, the project aimed to irrigate 12.30 lakh acres and provide drinking water in two phases.
The project encountered stiff opposition from the Andhra Pradesh government and various Telangana-based factions, who filed legal cases in forums such as the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Supreme Court, and other regulatory bodies. The KCR government overcame these obstacles through persistent efforts, securing an allocation of 90 TMC of water for PRLIS. By September 2022, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted to the Central Water Commission (CWC).
The Union Environment and Forest Ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) initially rejected the state’s proposals multiple times. However, after the Telangana government highlighted the dire situation in the drought-hit regions, the EAC eventually recommended the Center grant the necessary permissions. Despite this, the Revanth government reportedly failed to pursue these approvals with urgency. For over a year, there was no follow-up with the Center to secure the required permissions.
The CWC recently announced its decision to remove the PRLIS DPR from the appraisal list, citing the Telangana government’s inaction. In a letter, the CWC noted that the state government had not responded to its repeated requests for details on the 45.66 TMC of water reportedly saved through minor irrigation. The lack of timely communication prompted the CWC to take this drastic step.
Critics have pointed to the Congress government’s administrative lapses as a primary reason for the project’s stagnation. Engineering experts argue that this lack of focus and urgency has led to the DPR’s rejection, jeopardizing the project’s future.