Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s announcement of waiver of irrigation cess henceforth and writing off the dues piled up so far is expected to provide relief to the farming community under canals to the tune of over ₹566 crore.
The Chief Minister’s announcement comes in the wake of poor collection of irrigation cess in the recent years.
According to officials, it has not crossed even an average 18% during the seven-year period from 2009-10 to 2015-16.
Against the demand of ₹674.66 crore the collection was only ₹119.94 crore during the seven years.
It was lowest in Rangareddy and Warangal districts at 1.8% and 3.5%, respectively, although the cess has been only ₹200 per acre.
The collection was highest in 2011-12 at 26.56% and lowest in 2015-16 at 10.81% during the seven-year period.
For 2016-17 and 2017-18 the irrigation cess was fixed only in three and two districts, respectively, and against the combined demand of ₹12.89 crore the collection was only ₹1.34 crore.
Meanwhile, Telangana Retired Engineers’ Association have welcomed the Chief Minister’s decision and hoped that it would now ensure coordination between Revenue, Irrigation and Agriculture departments over the extent of ayacut.
President of the association Chandramouli and general secretary Shyam Prasad Reddy also said the decision to take maintenance of canals with government funds from now on would also prevent delays in taking up repairs, since there would be allocation of funds for maintenance of canals in the budget.
They stated that maintenance of canals had become a burden on the Irrigation Department leading to their neglect as maintenance was used to be taken up with flow back of irrigation cess funds from district collectors. The decision to take up maintenance of canals with government funds with budgetary support was bound to improve the conditions of canals, they said.
The retired engineers association leaders have also suggested the government to appoint the required number of assistance executive engineers for proper maintenance of canals.
