Hyderabad: Telangana state is focusing on the speedy completion of the construction of the Lendi project between Maharashtra and Telangana states, said Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy.
To this end, on Thursday morning, a group of Maharashtra Congress representatives, including Maharashtra Nanded Congress MP Ravindra Chavan, former MLA Hanumant Rao Patil, Suresh Panditwar, Subhash Bad, Wakidishwar, Dinesh Awaz, Sandeep Patil, and others, held a review meeting with Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy at the State Secretariat on the completion of the Lendi mega project.
Later, Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said that if the Lendi mega project, which was started in 1984 at an estimated cost of Rs. 2,183.88 crores at Muked taluka in Nanded district of Maharashtra, is completed, 38,573.15 acres in Telangana state and 27,710.397 acres in Maharashtra will come under irrigation.
According to the existing agreement between the two states, approximately Rs 1040.87 crores have been spent on the project so far. The earth dam work is 70% complete, the spillway is 80% complete, and canal construction is in progress, he added. Proposals for water supply through underground pipelines have also been prepared.
Work on the project was halted in 2011 due to objections from displaced persons. Efforts are now underway to resume work, and the riverbed excavation is planned to be completed. Uttam Kumar Reddy confirmed that plans are in place to complete the project by the end of 2026, which would benefit both Maharashtra and Telangana.
70% of Telangana population to be covered under PDS, says Minister Uttam
Congress Govt aims to ensure food security with new ration cards, benefitting additional 40 lakh people: Uttam
Hyderabad: The Congress government is committed to ensuring food security for 70% of the population through the Public Distribution System (PDS), said Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy. He announced this goal while addressing a gathering in the Kodad constituency on Thursday.
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The event was chaired by Kodad MLA Uttam Padmavathi and attended by Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, among others. Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of the Kodad Market Committee’s new governing body, the minister stated that the initiative would involve issuing white ration cards to all eligible poor individuals. He emphasised that this would benefit approximately 40 lakh people across the state.
Applications for ration cards submitted through platforms like Praja Palana, Prajavani, Mee-Seva, and Gram Sabhas are being processed. The minister assured that the ration card approval process is continuous and transparent, urging people not to worry. “We aim to provide white ration cards to every eligible individual,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said. He clarified that no misinformation or delays would hinder the process.
Similarly, under Indiramma Indlu scheme, beneficiaries with land would receive Rs 5 lakh, while SC/ST beneficiaries would get Rs 6 lakh. Furthermore, under the Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa scheme, landless agricultural workers would receive Rs 12,000 annually. The Rythu Bharosa amount has been increased by 20% to Rs 12,000 per acre per annum and it would be applicable for cultivable land across Telangana state. Uttam Kumar Reddy Reddy also announced plans to transfer Godavari waters to Paleru through link canals, extending the benefits to Mothe mandal.
Regarding infrastructure, Rs 18 crore has been allocated for the renovation of the Kodad Bus Depot. The Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway would also be expanded to six lanes, a project the minister had pursued during his tenure as an MP. Uttam Kumar Reddy revealed that a proposal for a railway line to Kodad had been submitted to the central government, along with a detailed route map.