The Telangana Government is gearing up to present its views against the unauthorised projects taken up by the neighbouring State of Karnataka across the river Krishna to the Central Government.

The State is focussing on raising the disputes under Section 3 of the Inter State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 which allows it to complain to the Union Government in the event of river water disputes arising with neighbouring States. Telangana is firming up plans to furnish its views at the 31st Southern Zonal Council (SZC) meeting scheduled to be held at Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu on August 20.

The Union Government has invited Telangana to attend the SZC meeting, claiming that it provides an excellent forum for deliberating upon and amicably resolving issues of mutual interest between the Centre and the States as well as among the States themselves. According to the agenda approved tentatively by the Union Home Ministry, the State Government will insist on its demand for conferment of national project status to the Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Projects. Interestingly, the agenda of the meeting indicates that the Karnataka Government is also planning to complain to the Centre about the new projects being taken up by Telangana.

The Karnataka Government has maintained that the liberty to use the remaining water in the Krishna river mentioned in the final order of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II is not devolved upon Telangana and that the State could not take up any permanent construction to utilise the surplus waters.

Given the firm stances adopted by the two neighbouring States, the zonal council meeting is likely to witness heated arguments between the two sides if river water sharing forms part of the final agenda.

Slow progress

The Telangana Government is preparing detailed notes to present a strong case in support of its stand on major projects at the SZC meeting, which will be chaired by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Home Secretary. The planning department of the State has been directed to identify key inter-State and regional issues that require deliberations at the SZC meeting while the other departments have been instructed to prepare a list of pending issues so that inter-State issues can be put on fast track mode.

The departments are accordingly finalising Telangana’s agenda; the recommendations to be made at the council; and the State’s submissions regarding pending matters that require the Union Home Ministry’s approval.

Senior officials are however sceptical about the outcome of the SZC meetings as the resolution of pending issues has been relatively slow. Officials say that the focus of the previous meetings was on resolving the issues connected to the Central Government rather than issues pertaining to individual States. While the issues raised by Telangana in the past have been deliberated in the meetings of the standing committee, they were subsequently dropped.

For instance, the issue over a subsidy from the Centre between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh remains unresolved till date. The subsidy amount, which was due to both the States, was credited to the account of Andhra Pradesh. Telangana has been claiming a refund of its share which was considered positively by the SZC which directed Andhra Pradesh to credit the amount to Telangana. The latter is yet to release the amount along with the applicable interest to Telangana.

A similar conundrum is seen with the division of assets pertaining to institutions not listed anywhere in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Telangana is firm that only cash balances should be shared between the two States while institutions should be apportioned on a location basis. However, Andhra Pradesh, referring to Section 66 of the Act, is insisting that some of these institutions be included in Schedule IX or X.

It is better for the Union Home Ministry to take a serious view on addressing the issues raised by States so that they will be motivated to raise their issues at the national level rather than prolonging them. The Centre’s intervention for the speedy resolution of pending issues will go a long way in helping the States focus on issues which need immediate attention.

Published - August 10, 2026 12:54 am IST