The then Finance Minister and BJP MP Etala Rajender revealed that all the information about the Kaleshwaram project was with former Chief Minister KCR and Minister Harish Rao. He appeared before the Justice PC Ghosh Commission on Friday and answered its questions on various issues for about 20 minutes.
Later speaking to the media, he said that he was informed the project had to be shifted from Tummidi Hatti to Medigadda keeping in mind the availability of water and the construction of dams is a matter for technical experts. When asked about the shift of the project from Tummidi Hatti to Medigadda, he said that the dams were constructed only as per the cabinet decision.
He said that the cabinet took the decision only on the recommendation of the technical committee and the cabinet committee. When asked about the formation of the Kaleshwaram corporation, he said that it was formed due to lack of funds. He stated that the DPR states that money should be collected on industrial and drinking water consumption, but no cash has been collected.
Rajender asserted that Kaleshwaram should not be used for political gains, action should be taken against those responsible for the Kaleshwaram losses and they should be punished severely. He recalled that “KCR has said hundreds of times that Kaleshwaram is my dream, KCR himself decided to build the project at Tummidihatti”.
He demanded that the Congress government should make all the reports public, then the people of Telangana will know who is right and who is wrong. He stated that he had no role in the Kaleshwaram project matter and KCR had formed a cabinet sub-committee for the redesign of the project.
He explained that the then Irrigation Minister Harish Rao was the chairman of that committee. He said that the Kaleshwaram project was initially proposed at Rs. 63,000 crores, which was later increased to Rs. 82,000 crores.
Etala Rajender asserted that he is following moral values regardless of which party he belongs to and said that he will speak the truth even if a gun is pointed at his head. He is confident that the people of Telangana will expose anyone who is wrongdoing.
“Today, questions were asked on financial issues. I was asked whether the Finance Department was involved in the loans of Kaleshwaram Corporation. Kaleshwaram Corporation is completely related to the Irrigation Department. The Finance Department has nothing to do with it”, he added.
