Information and Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy underscored the state’s determination to secure its rightful share of Godavari water.
Published Jun 24, 2025 | 7:46 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 24, 2025 | 7:46 AM
Telangana Ministers speaking to the media after Cabinet meeting.
Synopsis: The Telangana Cabinet has decided to take all necessary measures to safeguard the state’s interests in response to Andhra Pradesh’s push for the Godavari-Banakacharla Link project. It has also outlined a strategy to counter perceived threats, address historical oversights, and advance Telangana towards its ambitious economic goals.
The Telangana Cabinet has decided to take all necessary measures to safeguard the state’s interests in response to Andhra Pradesh’s push for the Godavari-Banakacherla Link project, indicating a firm stance on water rights.
The Cabinet’s decisions, announced on Monday, 23 June, reflect a multifaceted strategy to counter perceived threats, address historical oversights, and propel Telangana toward its ambitious economic target of a $3 trillion economy by 2047.
Information and Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting, underscored the state’s determination to secure its rightful share of Godavari water.
He attributed the current issue to a 2016 decision by the then-BRS government, which consented to transferring 400 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of Godavari water to Andhra Pradesh’s Penna basin during an apex council meeting.
“The stage for the construction of the project was set in that year itself,” Reddy noted, coming down heavily on the previous regime for enabling Andhra Pradesh’s fast-tracking of the Banakcharla project now. He accused former BRS ministers of attempting to deflect blame for their role in the water transfer agreement.
“Forgetting that they were responsible for today’s problem, the ministers in the last regime are making somersaults to cover their faux pas. They are now trying to say that they tried to defend the state’s interests, but what they had done was exactly the opposite,” he said, alleging they are now attempting to taint the Congress leadership with the Banakcharla mud.
The Cabinet has decided to ensure that Telangana will exhaust every option to secure its water quota. “We will not let go even one drop of Godavari water that is part of Telangana’s share, to Andhra,” Reddy declared.
To counter what he described as “Goebbels propaganda”, suggesting Congress is not pressuring the Union government to stall the project, the Cabinet decided to organise a public meeting in the first week of July.
This meeting will involve people’s representatives and include a presentation detailing the state’s efforts to prevent Andhra Pradesh from advancing the project. “We will also expose those in the previous government as to how they had let the state down in protecting its interests,” Reddy added.
By another decision, the Cabinet accorded sanction for a 201 km stretch of the Regional Ring road (RRR) from Choutuppal to Sangareddy.
The Cabinet approved a proposal to expedite the resolution of issues related to the division of assets between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, pending since the state’s bifurcation in 2014.
Reddy recalled the constitution of committees in both states and an overarching high-level committee to discuss and resolve these issues. He announced that the Telangana committee would soon meet to address matters requiring urgent action.
The Cabinet decided to furnish all details requested by the Justice PC Ghose Commission regarding the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme by 30 June 2025.
This includes information on Cabinet meetings from the previous government, whether clearance was granted for the project, and details about shifting the project’s location from Tummidi Hatti to Medigadda and constructing three barrages.
Minister for Sports Vakiti Srihari, attending his first Cabinet meeting since his recent induction, announced that the Cabinet had finalised the state’s sports policy. The policy aims to train Telangana’s youth, starting from ages eight to ten, for the 2036 Olympics, the host city for which has not yet been decided.
“We want Telangana boys and girls to bring name and fame to Telangana and India,” Srihari said, noting that trainees will compete for the Chief Minister’s Cup as part of preparations for the Olympics. The Cabinet also decided to increase the sports quota in state government jobs and enhance sports infrastructure across all districts. Collectors will be directed to allocate 10 percent of crucial balancing funds at their disposal for this purpose.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that the Cabinet had cleared a proposal to constitute an advisory committee comprising experts from various sectors. This committee will guide the state government in achieving its 2047 goal of a $3 trillion economy, which will be in tune with Telangana’s Rising 2047 policy.
The Cabinet also approved the appointment of Dr Nori Dattatreyudu, a renowned Indian-American radiation oncologist, as an advisor to the state government. Dr Nori will guide Telangana’s healthcare initiatives, focusing on the prevention and treatment of cancer, leveraging his expertise.
Further, it decided to install Telangana Thalli statues in all collectors’ offices across the state before 9 November, reinforcing the state’s cultural identity.
The Cabinet deferred a decision on local body elections as the Telangana High Court, earlier in the day, reserved its judgement on the petitions filed on the delay in holding the polls.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
