Hyderabad, Telangana: The Telangana state assembly on Friday unanimously passed a resolution urging the Government of India to grant all necessary statutory and administrative approvals for the Palamuru–Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) without further delay. The scheme, designed to provide both irrigation and drinking water to the drought-prone regions of the state, has faced significant delays and escalating costs due to pending central clearances.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, while introducing the resolution in the assembly, highlighted that the PRLIS, first initiated in 2015, has made little substantive progress over the past decade. “The project could not advance due to the absence of environmental and hydrological clearances from the Centre, which has caused estimates and construction costs to rise sharply,” he said. Revanth Reddy stressed that the scheme, once operational, would harness 90 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of Krishna River water to meet the drinking and irrigation needs of Telangana’s most vulnerable regions.

The assembly’s unanimous decision underscores the state government’s insistence on timely action by the Centre, aiming to avert further delays that could worsen water scarcity for farmers and residents alike. In his address, Revanth Reddy also criticized the prior Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) administration, alleging that it “betrayed Telangana’s irrigation interests” by compromising the state’s rightful share of Krishna River waters. He accused the previous government of allowing several irrigation projects, initiated during earlier Congress administrations, to remain incomplete, thereby creating long-term challenges for Telangana’s water security.

Revanth Reddy drew attention to a critical inter-state agreement reached in June 2015, during an inter-state meeting convened by the Union Jal Shakti Ministry. At that meeting, the Telangana government reportedly accepted only 299 TMC of Krishna water, significantly below the 490 TMC feet it was entitled to from the undivided state’s allocation of 811 TMC feet. The chief minister described this decision as a “death warrant” for Telangana’s future water security, alleging that previous leadership “voluntarily agreed to less than the state’s legitimate share, putting the signatures to it.”

Regarding the PRLIS itself, Revanth Reddy pointed out that independent experts—including retired engineers and state water activists—recommended Jurala as the most suitable source for the project. Despite this, within the first 26 days of assuming office, the BRS government reportedly diverted the project from Jurala to Srisailam, a move the current chief minister criticized as undermining the project’s technical feasibility and long-term benefits.

In addition to urging fast-track approvals for the PRLIS, the assembly also adopted a separate resolution opposing any diversion of Godavari waters to the Krishna basin by the Andhra Pradesh government. “The House unanimously appeals to the Centre not to grant permissions—under any nomenclature—for projects such as the Polavaram–Banakacherla link, the Polavaram–Nallamala Sagar link, or any other proposals aimed at diverting Godavari waters by the Andhra Pradesh government,” Revanth Reddy said. The resolution reflects ongoing inter-state tensions over water sharing and Telangana’s insistence on protecting its rightful share from upstream diversions.

The PRLIS is a lift irrigation project designed to address both agricultural and domestic water shortages across the drought-affected districts of Palamuru and Rangareddy. Once completed, the scheme is expected to deliver water to thousands of hectares of farmland and improve drinking water availability for rural populations, potentially transforming water access in the region.

The chief minister’s remarks and the assembly resolution come amid broader concerns about delays in water infrastructure projects across India. Long procedural timelines for environmental clearances, hydrological approvals, and land acquisition have often stalled major irrigation initiatives, resulting in cost escalations and missed agricultural cycles. In Telangana’s case, the PRLIS has already seen a significant budget increase due to prolonged inactivity, making the need for immediate central intervention critical, according to the state government.

Revanth Reddy’s strong criticism of previous administrations also emphasized the need for technical continuity and adherence to expert recommendations. He claimed that the diversion of the PRLIS project from Jurala to Srisailam reflected political interference rather than engineering prudence, potentially undermining the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the scheme. The chief minister argued that returning to the originally recommended source could optimize water lifting, reduce construction challenges, and ensure timely completion.

The assembly’s resolutions signal Telangana’s broader strategy of asserting its water rights and urging the Centre to prioritize state irrigation and drinking water projects. With the PRLIS expected to utilize 90 TMC of Krishna River water, it represents a critical component of the state’s water security plan, particularly for regions that have historically faced chronic drought and inadequate water supply.

As Telangana awaits central approvals, the state government has also pledged to closely monitor construction and ensure timely completion once permissions are granted. Revanth Reddy’s administration emphasizes that delays in project implementation not only jeopardize water security but also lead to significant cost overruns, affecting taxpayers and farmers alike.

The assembly session highlighted the urgency of resolving inter-state water disputes, safeguarding Telangana’s rightful water share, and preventing unauthorized diversions from upstream sources. With unanimous resolutions and vocal advocacy by the state leadership, Telangana hopes to secure expedited clearances for the PRLIS and strengthen its water infrastructure, thereby enhancing agricultural productivity and providing reliable drinking water to its citizens.