September 1, 2025

Telangana’s political drama took a sharp turn on August 31, 2025, when Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy declared that the alleged irregularities in the famous Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project will be handed to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). After a long and intense 10-hour debate in the Telangana Legislative Assembly that stretched into midnight, the CM revealed the decision following the presentation of the explosive Ghose Commission report. The Commission, led by former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, was set up by the government to dig deep into accusations of corruption, misuse of public funds, and technical delays in building the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages. Its hard-hitting report, submitted on July 31, found big lapses, including negligence, suppression of facts, and financial irregularities. Structural faults were detected, and blame was firmly placed on the previous government led by K. Chandrashekhar Rao of the BRS party, pointing out poor planning and faulty execution. The report also blamed design flaws and poor maintenance for damage to the Medigadda barrage. During the intense Assembly talk, Mr. Reddy wasted no time in accusing the earlier BRS regime of “swindling public money.” He revealed staggering numbers: the Kaleshwaram Corporation took loans totaling ₹85,449 crore, including a massive ₹27,738 crore at 11.5% interest and ₹30,536 crore at 12% interest from other lenders. So far, ₹19,879 crore of the principal and ₹29,956 crore in interest have been paid back, totaling nearly ₹50,000 crore. But the state still owes ₹60,869 crore, with another ₹47,000 crore needed to finish the project. Mr. Reddy also brought back memories of October 21, 2020, when an engineer filed a complaint about damage to the Medigadda barrage. Police were then deployed to control site access. The CM alleged that the barrage’s location change from Tummidihatti to Medigadda was pushed by then Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao, indicating political influence on technical decisions. Justifying the CBI probe, the Chief Minister said, "The government has ordered this probe in line with established guidelines. The truth must come out, and those responsible for looting public money through Kaleshwaram will be held accountable." With multiple agencies involved and huge public money at stake, the CBI investigation aims to ensure a thorough and transparent inquiry. This move has stirred the political pot and sets the stage for a no-holds-barred fight to uncover the truth behind Telangana’s biggest irrigation gamble.

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Tags: Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project, Telangana government, Cbi inquiry, Justice pinaki chandra ghose, Financial irregularities, A. revanth reddy,