Minister for Irrigation T. Harish Rao has directed the engineers to speed up works of Devadula Lift Irrigation project going on for the last 16 years and give water to ayacut in Narasampet, Mulug, Bhupalapalli and Parkal constituencies, including Ramappa and Pakal tanks, in the next kharif season.
At a meeting held here on Monday, the Minister directed Jangaon District Collector Devasena to review the progress of land acquisition for the project every Saturday. Special Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi was told to resolve forest related issues in land acquisition so that the third phase of the project could be completed by 2018.
Stating that funds to the project were being arranged under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, the Irrigation Minister said the State Government had assured the Centre of completing the project by 2018 and if the pace of works was not improved there would be a loss of face to the State Government before the Centre.
He suggested the revenue authorities to avail the services of retired Tehsildars on outsourcing basis, if necessary, to complete the land acquisition exercise as early as possible. The Minister also reviewed the progress of Kanthanapalli barrage and told the engineers to complete all works of the barrage in two years. Further, the Minister told the contract-agencies not to procure motor pump sets and other equipment without completing the pump houses.
