Irrigation Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has rebuffed the criticism of Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy against the Congress Government about the Kaleshwaram scam probe. He also announced that a judicial probe into the Kaleshwaram scam would commence this week.
Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat on Tuesday, Uttam refuted BJP leader Kishan Reddy’s allegations.
He accused Kishan of attempting to mislead the public by levelling baseless charges against the Congress.
He highlighted the fact that BRS Government in Telangana and the BJP Government at the Centre had collaborated for nearly 3,500 days. However, Kishan is now targeting the TS Congress Government, which has not completed even 20 days in power.
Rejecting Kishan’s allegations, he questioned the inaction of the BJP leaders during the last 10 years when the Kaleshwaram project scam occurred under the BRS Government.
He said that the Centre not only helped the BRS Government to secure big loans from Central agencies and banks but also ignored irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project.
Citing examples, Uttam said that the Power Finance Corporation, a Central agency for funding the power sector, amended its Memorandum of Articles to give a loan of Rs 1.20 lakh crore for the Kaleshwaram project.
Similarly, he pointed out that the Rural Electrification Corporation, established solely for electrification, arranged a loan of Rs 60,000 crore for the Kaleshwaram project.
He noted that it was unprecedented for two Central agencies established for executing power-related subjects to fund an irrigation project by changing their rules of functioning.
Uttam demanded that Kishan should clarify on this matter and criticised the BJP leaders’ silence when the project cost escalated from Rs 80,000 crore, as approved by the Central Working Commission, to a whopping Rs 1.27 lakh crore.
The redesigning of the Kaleshwaram project went unquestioned with no due diligence by the Centre, he said.
Regarding the Medigadda Barrage incident, Uttam said that Kishan should use his common sense before commenting.
He highlighted the fact that Kishan did not visit the site even though the incident occurred in a project funded by the Centre.
The foundation of the Medigadda Barrage sank five feet on October 21, 2023, but Kishan did nothing.
Uttam criticised Kishan for not questioning KCR’s silence from October 21 to December 7 when the Congress Government took over. He pointed out that Kishan did not speak up when the media was denied access to the Medigadda Barrage.
