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Mission Kakatiya has T-NRIs in tow
By: Tupaki Desk | 20 Feb 2015 10:37 AM GMTHerndon, VA: Telangana State Minister for Irrigation, T Harish Rao on Tuesday impressed upon Telangana NRIs about his Government’s unflinching commitment and efforts to irrigate every acre of the agricultural land in the State in the next 3-4 years and appealed to all Telanganites to be part of their dream project, Mission Kakatiya with a missionary zeal.
Mr. Harish Rao was speaking to the 715 NRIs from countries like USA, UK, Australia, Singapore and Gulf regions in a phone-in programme, a TDF-USA initiative aimed at bringing them closer to the Government and the leadership and help collaborate in the development back home. The TDF had successfully organized a similar program with the Deputy Chief Minister, Kadiam Srihari recently which saw about 600 NRIs taking part.
Mr. Harish, who accompanied the Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to Mumbai for talks with the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis on the inter-State water issues, caught up with the callers just prior to his departure from Mumbai. He answered to the questions with great composure. Not to mention, his command over the nitty-gritty in his subject area, floored the audience.
Mr. Harish said that Mission Kakatiya, with the tag line, mana vooru, mana cheruvu (our village and our lake), is one of the illustrious projects for the Government. “Lakes in Telangana region enjoyed a great legacy of 1000 years. They thrived under the Kakatiyas, Quli Qutubshahis and the Nizams. However, they suffered due to callous attitude of successive governments in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh affecting people from all walks of life in Telangana. Mission Kakatiya is being taken up on a war-footing to revive around 45000 lakes with 9000 every year until 2019 and with a huge budget of INR 20,000 crores. These lakes require renovation and repair and should be freed from encroachments in some cases. Once they were restored, they can store around 260 TMC of water and irrigate up to 25 lakh hectares in the State. Apart from agriculture, the project would provide succor to communities like fishermen, washer men and other artisans, who are greatly dependent on water. It also provides sort of cultural and spiritual identity to the villages,” explained the Minister.
He said the government was overwhelmed with the response pouring in from various quarters like TJAC and the four-lakh TNGOs, with the latter donating a day’s salary for the project.
Harish sought to dispel the feelings of most of the NRIs who were unsure if they were welcome to be part of the ‘mission’ and outlined the modalities for adoption of the lakes.
“No project aimed at reconstruction of Telangana is complete without your (NRIs) participation. We welcome you with both hands to be part of this grand project. There is no hard and fast rule as to how much money you (NRIs) should contribute towards this. The government is willing to name the lakes after the family members of the NRI who donate and adopt them,” said Harish, adding “if needed, we are even willing to open a bank account for the donations to flow in. There will be transparency and accountability in the whole process by way of updating the information with pictures regularly on the government website.”
Harish also promised the NRIs that his department would maintain a close coordination with them through calls and emails.
He reiterated his government’s commitment of giving safe drinking water to all villages and towns in Telangana. “There is no doubt about that. We stand by his (CM’s) words that we won’t go to next elections without keeping that promise.”
How much is your government dependent on the promised Central aid? Will the projects be stalled if the grants are not forthcoming?
“Well, everyone is aware that Telangana is a backward region and facing drought, farmers’ suicides and migration. We have an obligation to change this scenario. The Central Government is also sensitive to this situation and we are pretty positive about help coming our way. We have approached the World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency and NABARD and received favourable responses too from them,” said the three-time legislator, who was first elected to Assembly at the age of 32 in 2004.
Asked if his Government is on a confrontation path with neighbouring States on the water issues even after the formation of the State, Harish said: “We definitely want good relations with our neighbours. That is the reason our Chief Minister is in Mumbai today to meet his Maharashtra counterpart. We are out to settle all the disputes amicably.
Similarly, we are open to a dialogue with the Andhra Pradesh government on the problems confronting us today. However, we cannot compromise on our fair share of the resources. We have to understand and appreciate the fact that Telangana movement itself revolved around (equitable distribution of) water, funds and employment (opportunities) for Telanganites. Hence it is extremely important for us to get the share we deserved in all these spheres and we have to fight against any injustice in this regard.”
Lamenting the plight of Hussainsagar Lake in Hyderabad, which smacks of pollution and encroachments, the Minister said efforts are being made to clean the lake and save it from further encroachments.
To a question, Harish, who holds Marketing portfolio too, said that his department is looking to eliminate middlemen and create/improve storage facilities for farmers so that they get fair price for their produce.
Earlier, TDF-USA’s Cultural Chair, Janardhan Pallela started the proceedings with an ode to lake and how it shaped the lives of people dependent on that. TDF-USA lauded Harish’s role and the energetic influence he had on the Telangana movement. They urged him to show the same spirit in the re-construction of Telangana. Harish remembered TDF founder, Late Prof Jaishankar and acknowledged the intellectual, moral and financial help TDF and other Telangana organizations lent during the agitation.
Mr. K.V. Ramanachary, Advisor to the Government, was instrumental in planning the event in coordination with TDF President Mr. Vishweshwar Kalavala. Many in the TDF ranks and other Telanganites readily came forward to donate and adopt lakes after the call. If the response of the NRIs was any indication then Harish’s office should soon be inundated with emails and phone calls from the ‘sons of the soil’
Mr. Harish Rao was speaking to the 715 NRIs from countries like USA, UK, Australia, Singapore and Gulf regions in a phone-in programme, a TDF-USA initiative aimed at bringing them closer to the Government and the leadership and help collaborate in the development back home. The TDF had successfully organized a similar program with the Deputy Chief Minister, Kadiam Srihari recently which saw about 600 NRIs taking part.
Mr. Harish, who accompanied the Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to Mumbai for talks with the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis on the inter-State water issues, caught up with the callers just prior to his departure from Mumbai. He answered to the questions with great composure. Not to mention, his command over the nitty-gritty in his subject area, floored the audience.
Mr. Harish said that Mission Kakatiya, with the tag line, mana vooru, mana cheruvu (our village and our lake), is one of the illustrious projects for the Government. “Lakes in Telangana region enjoyed a great legacy of 1000 years. They thrived under the Kakatiyas, Quli Qutubshahis and the Nizams. However, they suffered due to callous attitude of successive governments in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh affecting people from all walks of life in Telangana. Mission Kakatiya is being taken up on a war-footing to revive around 45000 lakes with 9000 every year until 2019 and with a huge budget of INR 20,000 crores. These lakes require renovation and repair and should be freed from encroachments in some cases. Once they were restored, they can store around 260 TMC of water and irrigate up to 25 lakh hectares in the State. Apart from agriculture, the project would provide succor to communities like fishermen, washer men and other artisans, who are greatly dependent on water. It also provides sort of cultural and spiritual identity to the villages,” explained the Minister.
He said the government was overwhelmed with the response pouring in from various quarters like TJAC and the four-lakh TNGOs, with the latter donating a day’s salary for the project.
Harish sought to dispel the feelings of most of the NRIs who were unsure if they were welcome to be part of the ‘mission’ and outlined the modalities for adoption of the lakes.
“No project aimed at reconstruction of Telangana is complete without your (NRIs) participation. We welcome you with both hands to be part of this grand project. There is no hard and fast rule as to how much money you (NRIs) should contribute towards this. The government is willing to name the lakes after the family members of the NRI who donate and adopt them,” said Harish, adding “if needed, we are even willing to open a bank account for the donations to flow in. There will be transparency and accountability in the whole process by way of updating the information with pictures regularly on the government website.”
Harish also promised the NRIs that his department would maintain a close coordination with them through calls and emails.
He reiterated his government’s commitment of giving safe drinking water to all villages and towns in Telangana. “There is no doubt about that. We stand by his (CM’s) words that we won’t go to next elections without keeping that promise.”
How much is your government dependent on the promised Central aid? Will the projects be stalled if the grants are not forthcoming?
“Well, everyone is aware that Telangana is a backward region and facing drought, farmers’ suicides and migration. We have an obligation to change this scenario. The Central Government is also sensitive to this situation and we are pretty positive about help coming our way. We have approached the World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency and NABARD and received favourable responses too from them,” said the three-time legislator, who was first elected to Assembly at the age of 32 in 2004.
Asked if his Government is on a confrontation path with neighbouring States on the water issues even after the formation of the State, Harish said: “We definitely want good relations with our neighbours. That is the reason our Chief Minister is in Mumbai today to meet his Maharashtra counterpart. We are out to settle all the disputes amicably.
Similarly, we are open to a dialogue with the Andhra Pradesh government on the problems confronting us today. However, we cannot compromise on our fair share of the resources. We have to understand and appreciate the fact that Telangana movement itself revolved around (equitable distribution of) water, funds and employment (opportunities) for Telanganites. Hence it is extremely important for us to get the share we deserved in all these spheres and we have to fight against any injustice in this regard.”
Lamenting the plight of Hussainsagar Lake in Hyderabad, which smacks of pollution and encroachments, the Minister said efforts are being made to clean the lake and save it from further encroachments.
To a question, Harish, who holds Marketing portfolio too, said that his department is looking to eliminate middlemen and create/improve storage facilities for farmers so that they get fair price for their produce.
Earlier, TDF-USA’s Cultural Chair, Janardhan Pallela started the proceedings with an ode to lake and how it shaped the lives of people dependent on that. TDF-USA lauded Harish’s role and the energetic influence he had on the Telangana movement. They urged him to show the same spirit in the re-construction of Telangana. Harish remembered TDF founder, Late Prof Jaishankar and acknowledged the intellectual, moral and financial help TDF and other Telangana organizations lent during the agitation.
Mr. K.V. Ramanachary, Advisor to the Government, was instrumental in planning the event in coordination with TDF President Mr. Vishweshwar Kalavala. Many in the TDF ranks and other Telanganites readily came forward to donate and adopt lakes after the call. If the response of the NRIs was any indication then Harish’s office should soon be inundated with emails and phone calls from the ‘sons of the soil’
