Drought Crisis, Kaleshwaram Strategy and Dharani Probe: Telangana Cabinet Takes Key Decisions

Hyderabad, July 17:

 The Telangana Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy at the State Secretariat, held an extensive meeting lasting nearly three hours and took several major decisions on drought management, irrigation projects, alleged Dharani irregularities, and strengthening local governance.

 With several districts in Telangana facing severe rainfall deficiency and drought-like conditions, the Cabinet held detailed discussions on measures to tackle the emerging crisis

. The government is expected to formulate a comprehensive action plan to ensure efficient utilization of available water resources and protect the interests of farmers. The future course of action on the Kaleshwaram project also figured prominently in the discussions. 

The Cabinet reportedly deliberated on strategies to counter criticism from the opposition BRS over the project. Ministers reviewed plans to supply more water than originally envisaged through the Sitarama Sagar Project and accelerate the implementation of the Mini Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme.

The Cabinet decided that additional funds would be sanctioned if required to ensure the speedy completion of these irrigation projects, which are being viewed as critical to addressing Telangana's long-term water needs.

 In a significant move, the government decided to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged irregularities and illegal transactions linked to the Dharani land portal. The investigation is expected to examine complaints of land manipulation and identify those responsible for any violations.

The Cabinet also approved measures aimed at granting greater financial autonomy to Gram Panchayats by allowing local bodies to directly receive funds into their bank accounts. Additionally, the government approved land allocation in the Patancheru region for housing construction under the Indiramma Housing Scheme.

The decisions taken during the marathon Cabinet meeting are expected to have far-reaching implications for Telangana's irrigation policy, rural administration, and political landscape in the coming months.