Centre Gives Key Clarity on National Project Status for the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme

Centre Clarifies Its Position in Rajya Sabha

The Central Government has clarified that there is currently no proposal under consideration to grant National Project status to Telangana’s prestigious Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS). The Centre gave a written reply to a question raised by Congress Rajya Sabha MP Renuka Chowdary.

Krishna Water Dispute Remains a Key Hurdle

The Centre stated that the utilisation of Krishna river waters and related inter-state disputes are currently under the jurisdiction of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II). In view of these pending issues, the Centre said it cannot undertake the technical and financial appraisal of the Palamuru-Rangareddy project at present.

Project Report Sent Back to Telangana

Against this backdrop, the Centre has returned the project’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the Telangana government, asking it to come back with a comprehensive plan addressing the pending issues.

The Centre also clarified that no final decision has been taken so far regarding financial assistance from the Union Government for the project.

National Project Status Depends on Guidelines

The Union Government reiterated that any decision to grant National Project status would be based on the prescribed guidelines.

Key factors that would be considered include:

• National importance of the project
• Absence of unresolved inter-state or international water disputes
• Significant irrigation potential
• Compliance with the applicable technical and financial criteria

Krishna Water Issues Need to Be Resolved

The Centre pointed out that several issues relating to Krishna river water allocations, approvals and matters under the tribunal’s jurisdiction still need to be resolved.

Only after these matters are settled will the Centre be in a position to consider the issue of granting National Project status to the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme.

Telangana’s National Project Aspirations Put on Hold

The Centre’s latest clarification indicates that Telangana’s efforts to secure National Project status for the Palamuru-Rangareddy scheme have been put on hold for now. The project’s future consideration will depend largely on the resolution of the Krishna water-related disputes and submission of a comprehensive project plan by the Telangana government.