Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday set this year end as the deadline for completion of the much-awaited Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme that would benefit the erstwhile districts of Mahabubnagar and Rangareddy, known for migration and famine respectively.
The Chief Minister also instructed the officials to expedite Dindi project and complete it within six months to provide irrigation facility to Munugode and Devarakonda areas in Nalgonda district.
Directing the Finance Department to immediately release Rs 2,000 crore for payment of pending bills for works pertaining to the two schemes, he asserted that funding for these two projects will not be stopped and adequate funds will be allocated in the 2021-22 budget. He pointed out that the State government took a historic decision of empowering Irrigation officials at various levels to sanction works without them requiring to travel to Hyderabad for urgent and low-cost works.
Speaking at a review meeting on the progress of works pertaining to the two projects at Pragathi Bhavan here, Chandrashekhar Rao reviewed the progress of Narlapur reservoir and pump house, Narlapur-Yedula canal, Yadula pump house, Yedula-Vattem canal, Vattem reservoir, Vattem-Karvena canal, Karvena reservoir, and Karvena-Uddandapur canal, among others. He directed the officials concerned to prepare the final designs for a canal to pump water from Uddandapur to the upper areas.
“With the completion of Kalwakurthy, Bhima, Koil Sagar and Nettempadu projects, erstwhile Mahabubnagar district will get irrigation water supply for about 10 lakh acre. The Jurala project will provide irrigation facility for an additional 1.5 lakh acres,” he said, adding that on completion of Palamuru-Rangareddy project, the entire erstwhile Mahabubnagar district would receive water for cultivation.
Directing the District Collectors of Nagarkurnool, Nalgonda and Rangareddy districts to immediately pay compensation to farmers as per the law and complete land acquisition for Palamuru-Rangareddy and Dindi projects, the Chief Minister said they should hand over the acquired land to Irrigation department for the works to be expedited. He instructed Principal Secretary for Irrigation Rajat Kumar to obtain the required motors from BHEL and get them fitted at designated locations, in coordination with the Electricity officials at regular intervals.
The officials were directed to fill all tanks and other water bodies every year using water from the irrigation projects, besides maintaining minimum water drawing levels in all the reservoirs to supply water to Mission Bhagiratha.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the area under paddy cultivation had grown significantly in the State, from 30 lakh acre after State formation to one crore acre at present, due to increased irrigation facility. He stated that efforts were on to irrigate a total of 1.25 crore acre under the irrigation projects in addition to lands cultivated under borewells.
“Besides providing irrigation water, the Irrigation department is burdened with the responsibility of catering to the needs of drinking water supply under Mission Bhagiratha and industrial needs. As a result, the jurisdiction as well as importance of the Irrigation department has increased manifold. Hence, the State government has reorganised the entire Irrigation department for effective management,” he added.
Also read:
Use packaged ‘Bhagiratha’ water bottles in govt offices: KCR
Irrigation dept reorganised for effective management: CM KCR
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