Centre to hold crucial meet in hyderabad on Feb 20

Hyderabad: The Union government convened a crucial meeting with the Irrigation Ministers of all Southern States amid growing disputes regarding water sharing on February 20 in Hyderabad.
  
Union Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal will preside the daylong meeting with the Ministers and deliberate many issues which include pending water disputes between the States, central assistance to the States in the completion of pending irrigation projects and the clearances for projects from the Union government. The centre’s proposal to interlink canals and the objections from the States will also take centre stage in the meeting. 
 
Officials said State Irrigation Minster T Harish Rao will make a brief presentation on the Telangana government’s efforts in the optimum utilisation of river Krishna and Godavari waters. The Minister will also present the hurdles being faced from the neighbouring States in the release of its share of water for irrigation and drinking purpose.  

The issues pertaining to the functioning of Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and the deadlock on the allocation of water between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh from river Krishna will also be discussed. 

“Harish is planning to expose the Andhra Pradesh’s misdeeds in the release of water to Telangana and the excess withdrawal of water from Pothireddy Pady and Banakacharla head regulators in the meeting by the neighbouring Andhra state,” an official said. 
Before the meeting, Harish had been invited to attend a meeting called by Union Minister of Water Resources Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi on February 15. 

The meeting was called to discuss the progress in the projects taken up jointly by the State and the Union government under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). The meeting will be attended by all State Irrigation Ministers and Secretaries, Central Water Commission officials and NABARD representatives.