Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has stated that the government is planning to review the designs of proposed irrigation projects, which are yet to take off. The faulty designs have become impediments in providing optimum benefits to farmers, he said.
Intervening during the general discussion on the budget in the Assembly on Friday, the Chief Minister noted that all irrigation projects executed in combined Andhra Pradesh were designed with an intention of not serving the possible local (Telangana) interests completely. Telangana was able to irrigate about 5-6 lakh acres properly under Sriramsagar Project (SRSP) only due to the efforts of former Chief Minister M. Channa Reddy and engineer Koti Reddy, he noted.
The government is planning to convene a legislators’ meeting after the Assembly session concludes to discuss the design of major projects such as Pranahita-Chevella, Palamuru-Ranga Reddy, Jurala-Pakhala and a few others lift irrigation schemes.
On Pranita-Chevella, he said the existing design of lifting water with the help of a barrage at Thummidihatti till Yellampalli reservoir was estimated to cost Rs. 18,800 crore.
However, there was a viable alternative to complete it with Rs. 11,000 crore by taking water to Yellampalli from 70 km distance instead of 116 km (Thummidihatti). Suggestions from all legislators will be taken on improving the project benefits further by examining more viable changes, the Chief Minister said.
Similarly, the Dummugudem-Nagarjunasagar tail pond project was designed only keeping in view the benefits to Seemandhra, though the land and water is taken from Telangana, he explained. Project-wise allocations were made in the budget only to enable the government to take up projects such as Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, Bheema and others on priority basis, he stated.
