Congress Government has made all arrangements for the inauguration of Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project on August 15. CM Revanth Reddy will officially inaugurate the project by switching on the pumps.

While Irrigation Department officials are busy overseeing arrangements, ruling Congress and opposition BRS leaders are busy trading barbs over Sitarama Project.

Squashing BRS senior leader Harish Rao’s claim that 90 percent of Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project was completed during KCR’s tenure, Irrigation Minister said that only 39 percent of the Project was completed during previous Government and alleged that KCR Govt has failed to get approval from Godavari River Management Board.

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“It is ridiculous that Harish Rao is saying 90 percent of Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project was completed during BRS regime. It’s a blatant lie. Only 39 percent of the work was done during BRS regime. How come 90 percent of the work could be completed by spending just Rs 7,230 Cr while the total project estimated cost is Rs 18,231 Cr?” questioned Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, hitting back at Harish Rao.

Uttam Kumar Reddy further said that the required permissions from Central Water Commission for Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project were obtained by Congress Government, after it came back to power in December, 2018.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also fired on KCR for changing the names of Rajiv Sagar and Indira Sagar projects, which were initiated during Congress Government before bifurcation and renaming them as Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project, clarifying that the project was originally a Congress-conceived project.

Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project will be fully operational by August 2026. It will receive 67 TMC of water from the Godavari river.

Dnr