The Government of Telangana has shared the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on irrigation water projects for the financial year 2022-23 in the Assembly. This report shows that the state’s revenue expenditure is higher than its revenue earnings, indicating financial problems in the irrigation sector.
Over the past five years, spending on irrigation projects has increased significantly. The state has spent a massive ₹1.73 lakh crore on the construction of 20 irrigation projects started between 1983 and 2018. The estimated cost for these projects has risen from ₹1 lakh crore to ₹2 lakh crore.
The CAG report also mentions that the loans taken for projects like the Kaleshwaram project and Mission Bhagiratha are very large.
Furthermore, the report criticizes the previous government’s financial strategies. It notes that the government borrowed 6% more than the limit set by the 15th Finance Commission. The report also points out that last year’s budget estimates for non-tax revenue were greatly overestimated.
