Notwithstanding the view of the Opposition parties that the huge spending on irrigation sector by the TRS government during the last four years has been made with skewed interests, the latter is of the strong belief that the benefits accrued already and visible realisation of more in the near future would help it garner positive votes.
Apart from showcasing the positive impact of Mission Kakatiya, the TRS leadership has made construction of major irrigation projects, particularly Kaleshwaram, as one of the main election issues this time.
The Opposition have faulted the redesigning of projects as also Mission Kakatiya all through the electioneering alleging that they have come easy ways of making money for TRS.
However, on the ground, except for those who are being displaced by projects, the rest are banking hopes of better future on irrigation to their lands. “We hope to irrigate our lands with canal (Kaleshwaram) water in the next couple of years as cultivation of my two acres with poor groundwater has always been undependable”, says Narsamma of Ramasagaram-Ankireddypalle in Gajwel mandal.
Although Gulla Gangavva of Etigadda Kishtapur was seething with anger against displacement of her village including submergence of farm lands of many farmers of the village due to Mallannasagar, a part of Kaleshwaram, she was happy that her land at a neighbouring village would get the project water. She admitted that “the number of beneficiaries is many times higher than those displaced”.
Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao and other TRS leaders have made it a point during the campaigning to highlight the hurdles created against Telangana's irrigation projects such as Kaleshwaram, Palamuru-Rangareddy, Thummilla, Dindi, Sita Rama and others by the TDP Government in Andhra Pradesh. From his first election rally at Khammam after the issuance of poll notification to the last one he addressed at Gajwel on Wednesday, Mr. Rao made no bones about TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu's “designs” against Telangana's irrigation projects.
“I am able to cultivate my four acres with hope for the last two years as we have been getting water from Kalwakurthy lift irrigation project”, a farmer of Nagireddypalli in Kalwakurthy constituency, said adding that a small section of farmers who lost their lands for canals was disappointed.
