Hyderabad : Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy strongly refuted former minister Harish Rao’s claim that 90% of the Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project was complete, labeling it as “ludicrous.” He clarified that only 39% of the work had been accomplished under the BRS government.
Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that the project’s pumps will be switched on by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on August 15, with full operational status expected by August 15, 2026. During a review meeting with Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Uttam Kumar Reddy criticized the BRS for alleged mismanagement and premature installation of motors to gain higher commissions, despite a lack of necessary permissions from the Central Water Commission (CWC).
He also highlighted that the project, originally conceived as Rajiv Sagar and Indira Sagar during the Congress tenure, was renamed by the BRS to claim undue credit. Minister Srinivas Reddy further challenged Harish Rao regarding the BRS’s declining influence in Khammam, predicting the party’s eventual downfall.
