Mission To Complete 26 Irrigation Projects With 18000 Cr – KCR

KCR held a 5 hour meeting with retired engineers yesterday and discussed about the present conditions and his plan for irrigation in his Telangana. Reiterating that Irrigation is his Govt’s top priority, KCR conveyed the group in the meeting at Telangana Bhavan that he would waste no time in fastening to Palamuru–Ranga Reddy lift irrigation scheme which has the potential to create 10-lakh acre ayacut in Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy and Nalgonda districts. He seems to have conveyed that he is exploring options to get ‘National Project’ status for this from Center. “Let us complete all the 26 pending projects in Telangana in two years’ time. For the completion of these projects Rs 18,000 crores will be needed and it would help in irrigating 24 lakh acres of land in Telangana. We have promised to provide water for 10 lakh acres of land in every district and this has to be done at any cost.” KCR told the experts ways would be found to source the funds and that shouldn’t be a problem. “My government will allocate more than Rs 1 lakh crore for irrigation. I would see that there would not be any dearth of funds. If necessary, I would approach the World Bank and other international financial institutions. Irrigation experts should only concentrate on completion of the projects.”

He said that there was need to complete the Kalwakurthy lift irrigation scheme, Nettempadu lift irrigation scheme, Bheema lift irrigation project, Koilsagar lift irrigation project, Srisailam left bank canal (SLBC) and  Devadula lift irrigation scheme on a war- footing.  Stressing the need to take up new irrigation projects on Godavari river, the TRS chief said that there was a need take up projects such as Kanthanapally lift irrigation Project in Warangal district, Inchampalli project in Karimnagar and  Pranahita-Chevella project.

He said that there was also need to complete Dindi project in Nalgonda district in the next four years. This, he said, would be instrumental in solving Fluorosis  which is rampant in 17 Mandals of Nalgonda district.  KCR informed the group that he asked the officials to prepare a plan for this and that he also asked them to prepare report seeking a 3,300 MW captive thermal power plant for Pranahita–Chevella project for submission to the Central government. Similarly, the Palamuru–RR project could be submitted to the Prime Minister for sanction of funds.

He also sought revival of the golden age of minor irrigation in erstwhile Hyderabad State when 20 lakh acres was irrigated by 33,000 tanks but they have mostly disappeared now due to rapid urbanisation and irrigate less than 3 lakh acres. The chain link of tanks existing then should be revived, he felt. Speaking after the meeting, Telangana retired engineers’ forum general secretary M. Shamprasad Reddy wanted July 11 be officially declared Telangana engineers’ day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Nawab Ali Nawaz Jung Bahadur, Chief Engineer in the Nizam’s government, who constructed the Nizamsagar project. KCR seems to have told the group they will have a follow-up meeting in 10 days and discuss an action plan.