Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has proposed the sharing of Godavari water for the mutual benefit of Telangana and Chhattisgarh. He said that the proposed Inchampalli project would effectively serve the power generation and irrigation requirements of both States.
The matter will be discussed at an official level, Mr. Rao said during his first ever visit as Chief Minister to the neighbouring State, and assured that he would return to pursue the matter with the State government.
Speaking at a meeting organised for signing an MoU between the two States for purchase of 1,000 MW power, Mr. Rao recalled the historical bond between Chhattisgarh and Telangana during the days of the Kakatiya Dynasty.
Both States are part of the dynasty, and heirs of Kakatiya rulers still live in Chhattisgarh, he said, while presenting the replicas of the Kakatiya arch to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and other Ministers.
Mr. Rao said the problems faced by Telangana were similar to those faced by Chhattisgarh 14 years ago, when the State was created. He remembered showing Chhattisgarh to his detractors as an example of success achieved by small States, and said it provided a model for Telangana’s development.
Telangana will be developed as a seed capital, as the State’s climate, land and rainfall pattern are conducive for seed development, he said, and observed that there already was people-to-people contact between the two States in terms of agriculture.
Mr. Raman Singh reciprocated by stressing the need for strong ties and long lasting mutual cooperation between the two States. Earlier in the day, an MoU was signed for the purchase of power, and exchanged between the respective Energy secretaries of both States – S.K. Joshi and Aman Singh. As per the MoU, Chhattisgarh will supply 1,000 MW of power from the State-owned generation company to Telangana on a long-term basis. Mr. Singh responded positively to Mr. Rao’s request for the supply of 1,000 MW more.
TS Finance Minister Eetala Rajender, TS Genco and Transco CMD D. Prabhakar Rao and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister S. Narsing Rao were present.
