Deputy Speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka gave a call to farmers to properly make use of the lift irrigation schemes that were being commissioned spending crores of rupees. Maintaining the schemes was the toughest job and the cooperation of all stakeholders was essential, he opined while formally inaugurating the lift irrigation scheme at Pentyalavarigudem near here on Saturday.
The Rs.36 crore-scheme constructed on Munneru rivulet will benefit 1,179 farmers in Krishna and Khammam districts, Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal said, while accompanying the Deputy Speaker at the inaugural. The LI will provide water to this village and two other villages – China Mandava (Chintakani mandal) and Chapukattavari palem (Bonakallu mandal) in Khammam district. The LI will provide 37.35 cusecs of water 2,745 acres spread over these three villages.
‘Sufficient water'
This project will provide sufficient water for two crops a year during rabi and khariff, providing the farmers much-needed relief and income from their lands after a long time. The farmers here made a representation to former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy when he was here to lay a foundation stone for Polepalli dam under Jala Yagnam in 2004.
Dr. Reddy had assured them that the Lift Irrigation Scheme would be constructed to solve their problems. The Munneru floods used to devastate their crops -- paddy, chilli and cotton. With the LI scheme, the farmers expect that they would be able to cultivate two crops a year.
Some areas upstream of the project in Khammam district could lead to inundation and this problem would also be resolved by constructing bunds on either side, Mr. Vikramarka said, and added that the issue has been brought to the notice of the Chief Minister.
The State and Central Government were committed to the farmers' welfare by providing in-put subsidy, free power and agriculture credit at the right time to help farming activity did not miss the right dates for sowing or supplying fertilizer at the right of the crop, the MP said.
