Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said the historic agreement signed with Maharashtra on Tuesday for irrigation projects will herald good days for the state and appealed to farmers not to commit suicide.
On his return from Mumbai where he inked the agreement with his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis, Rao said the drought-prone region of Telangana will turn lush green in two to two and a half years.
"My only appeal to farmers is not to commit suicides at a time when we are close to fulfilling our dreams," he said at a rally organized by ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to accord him a warm welcome on arrival at Begumpet airport.
KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known, said the projects including Paranahita-Chevella, Kaleswaram and Palamuru lift irrigation will irrigate one crore acres in the state and this will help solve the problem of drought on a permanent basis and farmers will be able cultivate two crops in a year.
He said utilisation of Godavari waters will ensure 24 hour supply of drinking water to Hyderabad.
Ending the four-decade-long inter-state disputes, the two states signed an agreement for construction of five inter-state projects across Godavari river and its tributaries.
The chief minister and ministers accompanying him were brought in a huge rally from the airport to the his official residence. Large number of party workers welcomed the delegation. There was also performance by the cultural artistes to welcome the chief minister.
The main opposition Congress party, however, alleged that the TRS government bartered the interests of the state. The Congress leaders termed it as a great betrayal.
Party leader and former minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir said chief ministers of Maharashtra and then undivided Andhra Pradesh had agreed for construction of 152-feet barrage over Paranahita but the TRS government has signed a new agreement, bringing down the height by four meters.
