Ghose commission report on Kaleshwaram project to figure in Telangana assembly session

Hyderabad: The judicial commission report which held former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao responsible for the alleged lapses in the Kaleshwaram project, among others, is expected to figure prominently in the Telangana assembly session beginning on August 30.

The shortage of urea, damage caused by the current spell of heavy rains and BC quota in local body polls are also likely to be debated.

Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has summoned the assembly and legislative council to meet at 10.30 AM on August 30, according to a notification.

The state cabinet on August 4 discussed and accepted the judicial commission’s report in its meeting.

The judicial commission, appointed by the Telangana government to probe alleged irregularities in the project, held former chief minister Chandrasekhar Rao “directly and vicariously” accountable for the “irregularities” in its construction and other aspects.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy then said the government would soon call for a meeting of the assembly and decide the future course of action on the report after a thorough debate on the matter.

BRS MLA T Harish Rao criticised the state government for releasing a 60-page summary of the commission’s report on the Kaleshwaram project, describing it as ‘false’ and “politically motivated.”

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project is a multi-purpose project on the Godavari River in Bhupalpally district. Damage to the barrages, built during the previous BRS regime, became a major issue in the 2023 Assembly elections.

Among other key issues, the impact of heavy rains beginning August 27 which led to inundation of low-lying areas and agricultural fields, is expected to be raised during the session.

The shortage of urea leading to farmers holding protests in several places is also expected to come up for discussion in the assembly.

The state legislature had earlier passed two Bills to provide a 42 per cent quota to the BCs in local bodies and education and employment, which are pending for Presidential assent.

The CM earlier this month led a protest in New Delhi to demand Presidential assent for the reservation bills and alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre was stalling them.