The ayacut of minor irrigation sources in Andhra Pradesh went down by more than 50 per cent during Congress regime in the last ten years. The ayacut shrunk from 25.65 lakh acres ten years ago to 11.5 lakh acres last year due to neglect of the tanks, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly was informed by Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao during question hour on Friday.
He said ten years ago there used to be 35,376 tanks with an ayacut of less than 100 acres each that irrigated 8.01 lakh acres and 6,361 tanks with more than 100 acres each that irrigated 17.64 lakh acres. But, the area declined steeply in the last decade. The previous government neglected the tanks by not taking up their repairs regularly. The government also harassed farmers by booking cases against them for desilting the tanks.
Prior to 2004, the TDP government allowed farmers to use the silt for organic purposes in their fields. The silt was also used to construct check dams.
Mr. Rao said the present government aimed to improve water conservation by repairing tanks and constructing check dams with the aid of satellite images that were secured from nearly 3,500 points. An amount of Rs. 5,000 crore pooled from the funds of various departments would be spent for the purpose. A workshop will be held in Vijayawada in the third week of the month to discuss the mission.
Waste management power plants
Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana said in response to another question that the government would promote waste management power plants in a big way to exploit garbage. He informed Bonda Umamaheswara Rao of the TDP that an additional garbage dumping yard would be sanctioned for Vijayawada from out of six locations identified, including one at Kondapalli.
Kovur sugar factory
Legislative Affairs Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said a policy decision would be announced shortly on whether to have a government-nominated committee or elections to the workers union of Kovur cooperative sugar factory in Nellore as part of steps to revive the factory. Raising the question, Kovur MLA Polamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy demanded Rs. 10.5 crore towards payment of salary dues of workers and overhaul of machinery and boilers to revive crushing at the factory.
Drinking water in tribal habitations
Forest Minister Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu said 6,014 out of 8,943 tribal villages in the State had partial drinking water facility. The facility was ensured completely in 2,796 villages but 118 villages were uncovered because they could not be accessed by vehicles. So, water from streams was taken by pipes to the population there.
Petro chemical university
The Legislative Affairs Minister said the government in principle decided to set up petro chemical university at Rajahmundry.
Indiramma houses Housing Minister Kimidi Mrunalini said a sum of Rs. 196.30 crore was pending payment for beneficiaries of Indiramma houses who constructed units either partially or fully. She said the payment was stopped from March on detection of ineligible beneficiaries. All such people were not being identified with the aid of geo-tagging and Aadhaar linkage.
ST status for fishermen Agriculture Minister P. Pulla Rao expressed helplessness to a request by V. Ganesh Kumar, a TDP MLA from Visakhapatnam city, that fishermen be included among STs as it was the subject matter of the Registrar General of India and the National Commission for STs.
Appointment of Lashkars
The Irrigation Minister said meetings were scheduled today and September 14 to discuss appointment of Lashkar who work on canals and river banks.
