The Telangana Cabinet has cleared integration of Indirasagar and Rajivsagar lift irrigation projects in Khammam district and renamed Srirama irrigation project to wet crop area of over 5 lakh acres with an estimated cost of Rs.7,900 crore.
The integrated project seeks to utilise 50 TMC ft Godavari river water from the intake well of Dummugudem and irrigate the areas planned under the twin projects separately and other left out areas in the district, Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao told newspersons after the Cabinet meeting here on Sunday.
Minister for Roads & Buildings Tummala Nageswara Rao said redesigning the two projects had become inevitable following transfer of seven mandals of the district to Andhra Pradesh and lack of cooperation and response to complete the old projects by the neighbouring State. Asked whether necessary clearances were taken for the integrated project, he said: “It’s not necessary as the water utilisation will be from within the allocated quota of Godavari waters to Telangana and the individual projects had clearances”.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet has also cleared plans to establish Horticulture Corporation to set up food processing units in about 200 acres to supply adulteration-free basic spices such as chilli and turmeric powder. Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said the government had plans to increase cultivation of vegetables, fruits and spices to 10.7 lakh hectares from the present 6.67 lakh hectares to increase the production to meet the demand of 67.83 lakh tonnes per annum in the State.
The Cabinet meeting also decided to have a sub-committee to examine extending Rs.4-a-litre incentive to dairy farmers supplying milk to private dairies as it was being given only to the suppliers to Vijaya dairy. Another sub-committee would explore plans for development of film industry in the State.
