All irrigation projects in Telangana, Andhra to be under control of Krishna, Godavari boards: Centre

HYDERABAD: The Union Jal Shakti Ministry issued a Gazette notification on Friday, bringing all the irrigation projects, except minor ones, in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh under the control of river management boards - Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and Godavari River Management Board (GRMB). 

Though Andhra Pradesh had been demanding the same from the beginning, the decision of the Ministry is much against the wish of Telangana. 

Telangana had instead been demanding that till the gets its fair share in river waters, and that the projects should not be brought under the control of the Boards. 

Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is expected to formally release the notifications this afternoon at a presser in Delhi. 

Some salient features of the gazette notification are:

• As many as 36 projects in Krishna basin and 71 projects in Godavari basin are proposed to be kept under the control of KRMB & GRMB respectively

• It means both the river basins will be under the direct control of Central government

• It will be operational from 14 October 2021

•  The states have to stop the works of unapproved projects immediately and obtain approvals within 6 months of this notification 

• All the sanctioned posts in the projects shall come under the jurisdiction of the Boards

• Plants, machinery, equipment and stores of the projects shall come under the jurisdiction of Boards

•  Office premises, equipment, furniture, vehicles, records, documents of the projects shall come under the jurisdiction of Boards

•  Within 60 days both AP and Telangana shall deposit Rs 200 crore to the Boards

•  Matters relating to power generation, transmission, and distribution  shall be implemented by the states as per the directions of the Boards

•  All major and medium projects are notified leaving only minor irrigation to the states