In a world where water wars are predicted, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao ensured that the State would remain safe from them in future with the water revolution he has embarked upon through the Kaleshwaram project, IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao argues.

As the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) celebrates its 20th anniversary on Sunday, KTR, who is also the TRS working president, sees the face of Telangana changing rapidly with several revolutions in the offing with water revolution being the first one and the rest being its off-shoots.

The water revolution is not a six-year-old idea but it took birth on the day the party was established on April 27, 2001, in Jaladrushyam on the banks of Hussainsagar. Lifting Godavari water from 90 metres above the sea level to 618 metres is an unparalleled effort in independent India and in its course from Medigadda to Mallannasagar, Telangana is secured with 270 tmcft of water with 70% of the total 46,000 tanks and lakes filled. It is the world’s biggest multi-stage lift irrigation project.

No other party could achieve so much in 20 years of its existence and just six-year rule, KTR argues, adding people have reposed faith in KCR in election after election. Such faith in a leader is unparalleled and his every word is gospel while TRS is the lifeline of Telangana. “People eagerly wait for KCR’s press conferences as they are so reassuring injecting confidence even in dire times.”

So is the party and leadership aiming to play a bigger role at the national level. “We are already inspiring the country,” the IT Minister says arguing Telangana model is the buzz word now. It has replaced the Gujarat models and West Bengal models that people used to refer to.

The Rythu Bandhu scheme extending investment support to every farmer is the inspiration for the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and so is the Jal Jeevan mission, which is an off-shoot of Mission Bhageeratha that ensures piped drinking water to every household. Around 11 states in the country have studied the scheme to be implemented. Since its formation Telangana attracted the global giants of IT to its land and all known companies have their biggest offshore centres here. Their faith is justified with the government ensuring law and order and safe work environment.

Far-sightedness

The farsightednes of our leader is an inspiration for several schemes and such ideas emanate from the passion to love their land and people, KTR argues. “If we aren’t the role model who else it will be.”

Telangana dialect, once ridiculed as rustic and identified with villains, is now the mainstream on television, news programmes and even feature films. The achievement is no less than the water revolution.

The water revolution will pave way for Green Revolution, Blue Revolution, Pink Revolution and White Revolution, benefiting all the communities. KTR recalls how the FCI chairman has described Telangana as rice bowl of India now. Paddy cultivation has more than doubled from 16.89 lakh acres in the Rabi season last year to 39.24 lakh acres due to abundant Godavari water. Same is the case with all cereals and pulses.

It is also bringing in the blue revolution, increasing the acqa culture due to the tanks and lakes filled and Kaleshwaram project ensuring ground water level rising while the pink revolution is in the offing with Telangana emerging biggest market for meat due to the supply of lakhs of sheep to the sheep rearing communities. The State-owned Vijaya Dairy is now in a position to give dividend to the government, an indication of the White Revolution. The youngest state is all set to be the most prosperous, KTR says.