The Chief Minister's Office of Telangana announced on Tuesday, 21 July 2026 that Chief Minister Revanth Anumula directed officials to ensure no delays in land acquisition for the Makthal–Narayanpet–Kodangal Lift Irrigation Scheme (MNKLIS), while also conducting a comprehensive review of development works in Kodangal constituency.

Context

During the review meeting, officials presented the current status of the MNKLIS project. CM Revanth Anumula stated clearly that land acquisition must not be delayed, and that the government is ready to appoint the required surveyors and sanction the necessary budget. He directed officials to complete land acquisition and initiate the tendering process without further delay.

The Chief Minister also announced he would return on 30 August for another review visit and would stay overnight in Kodangal, signalling a hands-on approach to monitoring progress on the ground.

Policy Backdrop

The MNKLIS is designed to supply water to rain-shadow areas in southern Telangana, a region historically dependent on erratic monsoons and vulnerable to El Niño-induced deficits. Telangana has long prioritised lift irrigation schemes to expand cultivable area across the Deccan plateau, with land acquisition and tendering being perennial bottlenecks in project execution.

The Congress government, which came to power in December 2023, pledged to expedite pending irrigation projects and rural infrastructure. CM Revanth Anumula, who himself represents the Kodangal assembly constituency, has a direct political stake in visible development in the region.

Development works in Kodangal are being overseen by the Kodangal Urban Development Authority (KADA), which was reviewed department-by-department during the same meeting.

Stakeholders and Impact

Farmers and rural households across Makthal, Narayanpet, and Kodangal stand to benefit directly from the lift irrigation project, which promises to reduce dependence on rainfall and expand the irrigable area. The Chief Minister instructed that no tanda (hamlet) in the constituency should be without a road, and that every village must have a BT (bituminous tar) road connecting it to the mandal headquarters.

For new gram panchayats, CM Revanth Anumula directed that panchayat buildings be constructed and that an officer at the Executive Engineer level be appointed to continuously supervise works. On drinking water, he ordered advance planning to prevent any shortage given the El Niño impact and deficient rainfall conditions.

What's Next

The immediate priorities are the appointment of surveyors, budget sanction, and completion of land acquisition for MNKLIS, followed by the launch of the tendering process. Officials are also expected to fast-track road construction and panchayat building works across the constituency ahead of the Chief Minister's next scheduled review on 30 August 2026. Progress on drinking-water contingency plans in the context of El Niño conditions will also be closely watched.