Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu refuted Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s assertion that the NDA government in the state stopped the Rayalaseema Lift Project at Revanth Reddy’s behest. The Telugu Desam Party-led government dismissed Revanth Reddy’s comments in the Telangana Legislative Assembly as inaccurate and misleading, emphasizing that the project’s suspension was not due to any request from Revanth Reddy.
Revanth Reddy alleged in the Assembly that he pressured Chandrababu Naidu and the Central government to halt the Rayalaseema project, linking it to discussions on inter-state issues. He claimed that he had insisted on stopping the project, which reportedly diverted three TMC of water daily from Andhra Pradesh. In response, the Andhra Pradesh government clarified that the project’s pause was unrelated to the current government’s decisions or political motives.
The Andhra Pradesh government highlighted that the Rayalaseema Lift Project was initiated during the tenure of former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy without the necessary approvals. Despite promises of water supply to Rayalaseema, the project commenced without proper clearances, leading to legal challenges from the Telangana government during the previous administration. Subsequently, the project was halted due to the absence of mandatory permissions.
The state government emphasized that the National Green Tribunal and the Union government had issued directives regarding the project as early as 2020, well before Chandrababu Naidu’s government took office in 2024. It accused political factions in Telangana of politicizing the issue for their benefit, maintaining that the NDA government would safeguard Andhra Pradesh’s water rights and irrigation benefits for Rayalaseema. The government pledged to disclose all pertinent information, supported by evidence, to the public soon.
