Focus on completing Palamuru-Rangareddy project: Harish Rao to Telangana CM
Hyderabad: Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao has asked Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to focus on completing the construction of Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS), instead of pursuing the Kodangal Lift Irrigation Project with an intention of amassing wealth through “commissions.”
Speaking with media persons during his visit to Kodangal on Friday, April 3, Harish Rao accused Revanth Reddy of betraying the Scheduled Tribes (ST) in his own constituency, while making false claims during his election campaign in support of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance in Keralam.
He felt that people in other states, including Kerala, were capable of seeing through the exaggerated claims of Revanth Reddy, when the ground reality in Telangana is totally different.
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CM who bulldozes houses of poor trying to teach Keralam: Pinarayi on RevanthHarish Rao said it was ironic that Revanth Reddy was travelling to other states and speaking about governance and welfare, while in his own constituency of Kodangal, STs (Lambadas) continue to face injustice, land-related harassment and official neglect.
He pointed out the case of Lagacherla village in the Kodangal constituency, where police excesses were alleged against the residents of the village who attacked the District Collector and other officials during a public hearing on land acquisition for a pharma village in November 2024.
Harish Rao alleged that ST lands were being taken away in Kodangal, and that the members of the Lambada community were being subjected to harassment and police excesses.
He said the Congress government has failed to fulfil even a single major promise made to the Scheduled Castes (SC) and STs, despite tall declarations made before the 2023 Assembly elections.
He reminded that it was the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government which had sanctioned Rs 8 crore for constructing a bridge across a stream, to enable access to Lokamasand Maharaj Bavoji’s temple, a revered religious shrine for Lambadas.
He further said that Rs 80 lakh was sanctioned for the development of the temple, and Rs 50 lakh for the construction of a Banjara Bhavan in Kodangal during the BRS government.
He said it was during the BRS government that 3,100 tribal hamlets were converted into gram panchayats, and Sevalal Maharaj Jayanti was officially celebrated, and reservations were provided for SCs and STs in the market committees and wine shop allotments.
Harish Rao said it was the BRS government that ensured drinking water connections to the lambada hamlets through Mission Bhagiratha in Kodangal, and also constructed degree colleges for girls, helping improve access to education in the backward area.
In contrast, he said the Congress government has not done justice even in representation, stating that not a single Lambada leader has been made a minister in the present government so far.
He said the government had allocated Rs 2,730 crore in the budget for the ST Corporation, but had spent only Rs 52 crore, and that the ST students were not receiving fee reimbursement presently.
Harish Rao also criticised the government for allocating Rs 100 crore to the Sevalal Corporation but failing to release even a single rupee. He said this was an insult not only to the community but also to the legacy of Sevalal Maharaj.
He felt the Congress government seemed to have funds for “football events, camp offices, and beauty pageants,” but not for the welfare of STs.
Harish Rao felt that the Congress government had already defaulted on Rythu Bandhu for three seasons, failed to pay the bonus for the last Yasangi fine grain paddy crop, and is likely to repeat the same in the coming Kharif season.
Harish Rao said the Congress government has done nothing new and has only succeeded in weakening or stopping the schemes that were already functioning under the BRS government.
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