Finance panel team in TS, reviews irrigation projects

A six-member team of the 15th Finance Commission arrived in Hyderabad on Sunday for a four-day visit to the state.

The team, comprising Mr Ashok Lahiri, Mr Arvind Mehta, Mr Ravi Kota Mr Antony Cyriac, Mr Kadrap V. Patil and Ms Rita Lahiri, was received by chief secretary S.K. Joshi, principal secretary (finance) Ramakrishna Rao and advisor to government (finance) G.R. Reddy at the Shamshabad airport.

Later the team, accompanied by the senior officials of the state, went to the Karimnagar district and held an on-site review of the Kaleshwaram Lift-irrigation Project, the Medigadda barrage and Mission Bhagiratha works in Siricilla district.

The officials explained to the team that the Kaleshwaram project was meant for irrigation to 36 lakh acres of agricultural land in the state and that the works were going on 24 hours so that water can be supplied to the ayacut from this monsoon season.

The panel will hold separate meetings with the representatives of Panchayat Raj institutions and urban local bodies on Monday. It will also meet the representatives of all political parties separately. On February 19, the Commission will hold a meeting with the government officials, which will be followed by a meeting with Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.