Backward Classes Welfare Minister and East Godavari in-charge Minister Ch. Venu Gopala Krishna on Wednesday announced that Godavari water would be released for Kharif-2023-24 in the Godavari delta from Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram on June 1.
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The Minister and other public representatives on Wednesday reviewed the development of East Godavari district during the District Development Review meeting held at the Collectorate.
Responding to the preparedness of the Irrigation and agriculture departments for the next Kharif season, Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna said, “The State government has decided to release the Godavari water at Dowleswaram on June 1 to begin the Kharif operations. Last year, the water was released on June 1 and the initiative led to a bumper yield of paddy.”
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“The entire Godavari delta will get the irrigation water for the Kharif season from June 1,” said Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna. In East Godavari district alone, nearly 80,000 hectares of area is under the cultivation of paddy in the Kharif season. An estimated 67,000 farmers are under tenancy.
Modernisation of Dowleswaram Barrage
Superintendent Engineer (Irrigation-Dowleswaram Circle) G. Srinivas said at the District Development Review meeting that a ₹62-crore project has been proposed to the Ministry of Jal Shakti for the modernisation of the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage across Godavari at Dowleswaram under the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Programme (DRIP). NABARD and World Bank will fund the DRIP projects.
According to Irrigation Department officials, the modernisation project includes the repair of gates and civil works, for which tenders would soon be invited.
On crop damage, Joint Collector N. Tej Bharat has said that paddy has been damaged in 230 hectares due to recent rains in East Godavari district. Rajya Sabha MP Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose, Zilla Parishad chairman V. Venugopala Rao and other public representatives were present.