T. Harish Rao

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Under Irrigation ministry, TRS government redesigned the project Pranahitha-chevella project on the grounds that the original plan had too many environmental obstacles and had very low water storage provision — only about 16.5 tmc ft. After conducting a highly advanced Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) survey for a couple of months, the government separated the original component serving the Adilabad area as the Pranahitha project and renamed the rest as Kaleshwaram by redesigning the head works, storage capacity and the canal system based on the data of availability of water at different locations along the course of the Godavari and its tributaries. The Kaleshwaram project has provision for the storage of about 148 tmc ft with plans of utilising 180 tmc ft by lifting at least 2 tmc ft water every day for 90 flood days. The project is designed to irrigate 7,38,851 hectares (over 18.47 lakh acres) uplands in the erstwhile districts of Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Warangal, Medak, Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy.

Party troubleshooter

Harish Rao has close association with party cadre. Cadre often refer to him as party troubleshooter. He played key role during 2014 elections in all Telangana especially in United Medak district and other districts in Northern Telangana. He also took the complete responsibility of by election, 2014: Medak and Narayankhed by elections, TRS party won with huge majority on both the occasions.

Controversies

During his tenure as the Irrigation Minister of Telangana, Rao has undertaken an irrigation project as Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, which was touted as the world's largest multi-stage lift irrigation project. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has come out with a damning report on the project in Feb 2024, which says it was economically unviable from the start and details the massive cost overruns, possible undue benefits accrued to contractors for the supply and commissioning of pumps, motors, etc., and the poor planning involved. The project costs have likely exceeded to Rs. 1.47 lakh crores ($USD 17.698 billion), as against Rs. 81,911 crores ($USD 9.87 billion) projected to the Central Water Commission (CWC). This report was released within a year after the Medigadda barrage sank. The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) found that the Medigadda barrage is severely compromised, rendering it useless unless fully renovated. [5] [6]

References

  1. Lasania, Yunus Y. (11 December 2018). "Harish Rao wins Siddipet for third time, may set record". Mint. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  2. "Telangana Assembly Election Results: Harish Rao becomes nation's youngest MLA to be elected six times". newsd.in. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  3. The Hindu (9 November 2021). "Harish Rao given charge of Health portfolio". Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  4. "Harish Rao wins in Siddipet for 6th Time". INDToday. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  5. "Auditor Report Says Telangana's Kaleshwaram Project Economically Unviable". NDTV. Press Trust of India. 16 February 2024.
  6. SVN, Sudhir (16 February 2024). "CAG flags soaring costs, 'çorruption' in Kaleshwaram project". Deccan Herald. Press Trust of India.
T. Harish Rao
T Harish Rao.jpg
Minister of Finance
Health - Medical & Family Welfare

Government of Telangana
In office
8 September 2019 3 December 2023