Mission Kakatiya, one of the prestigious programmes of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), taken up with an objective to utilise 265 tmc ft of river water by restoring minor irrigation tanks, is progressing at snail’s pace.
Tank restoration works, including de-silting of tank beds, clearing encroachments of foreshore areas and feeder channels, and restoring supply channels are yet to commence even as less than five months are left to complete restoration of over 9,150 tanks this year, as per government plans. Taking up restoration works is possible only during the non-crop season, particularly from January to May.
“The government wanted to get a head-start and accordingly, survey material and other necessary paraphernalia was provided to the department on a war footing. However, lack of sufficient hands to run through the administrative and technical processes has been a major bottleneck in its progress so far. It will take some more time to take up the restoration works, practically since the process of tenders is yet to begin,” official sources told The Hindu .
As on Saturday, administrative sanction has been accorded only to 1,770 tanks, not even 20 per cent of the total number of tanks planned to be restored this year, at an estimated cost of Rs. 707 crore.
The tanks have a combined ayacut of over 2.02 lakh acres. The process of tenders will follow only after technical approval is provided to the works.
The government is planning to involve philanthropists, NRIs and organisations engaged in rural development for transportation and dumping of silt removed from the tank beds, as it is not only a monumental task but also involves huge expenditure.
Though the State government has allotted Rs. 2,000 crore for the restoration of tanks, it does not include the expenditure for transportation of silt.
“Farmers, with the help of NGOs and others, could only take the upper layer of fertile silt for dumping it in their fields but the remaining silt has to be dumped elsewhere,” official sources said, adding that the government was planning to launch a campaign in villages soon to create awareness on the benefits of tank silt for their fields.
