Former SC Judge P.C. Ghose to Head Kaleshwaram Irregularities Probe

In a significant decision, the Telangana state Cabinet on Tuesday appointed two judicial commissions, one to probe into irregularities in the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS) and the other into the construction of the Yadadri and Bhadradri power projects besides power purchases made by the previous Bharata Rashtra Samithi government. 

The Cabinet which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also decided to issue new ration cards, for the first time after the formation of Telangana state, and to construct 3500 Indiramma Houses in each Assembly constituency in the first phase.

Briefing media persons on the Cabinet decisions, revenue and information and public relations minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said the first Lokpal of India and former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose would probe into the technical and financial irregularities in the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme. Justice Ghose had also served as Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

The judicial commission headed by former Patna High Court Chief Justice L.



Narasimha Reddy, who also served as judge in the Telangana High Court, will probe into the alleged irregularities committed by the K. Chandrashekar Rao-led government in the construction of the two major power projects at Yadadri and Bhadradri besides power purchase made from Chhattisgarh. The two commissions were given a 100-day timeline to complete the probe and submit a report to the state government, Srinivas Reddy added.

On financial assistance to farmers under Rythu Bandhu, the minister said 84 per cent of beneficiaries had received the amount and in the next two days the coverage would reach 93 per cent. In yet another pro-women initiative, the government decided to earmark 25-30 acres all along the Outer Ring Road to set up rythu bazaars and self-help group bazaars where only women would be allowed to sell their produce. The Cabinet agreed to provide jobs to DSC 2008-qualified teachers. The Cabinet approved setting up 16 caste-based corporations. Ministers Komatireddy Venkata Reddy and D. Sridhar Babu were also present at the media briefing along with Srinivas Reddy.