Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Nani on Saturday inaugurated the YSR Lift Irrigation Scheme on the Budameru canal that irrigates more than 3,600 acres of land in Nandivada mandal in Krishna district.
The ₹9 crore lift irrigation project was built by the Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Development Corporation (APIDC) with financial aid from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund at Aripirala village. The construction of the scheme has been completed in 15 months as against the deadline of two years.
Speaking to farmers at Aripirala site, Mr. Nani said another lift irrigation scheme on the Budameru canal was being proposed to provide irrigation facility for nearly 10,000 acres in the Gudivada constituency.
APIDC Superintending Engineer Sheik Khaleel has been directed to prepare the proposal for the new lift irrigation scheme to come up in the Ramapuram-Kodaravalli area.
Maintenance
“The contractor will maintain the Aripirala scheme for the next two years and later farmers have to maintain it by forming a special committee. The State government supply free power to run it for the farmers,” said Mr. Nani.
APIDC Executive Engineer Mr. Ranganth told farmers that a total of 135 lift irrigations were being operated across the Western Krishna district, irrigating 1.7 lakh acres.
The farmers and Mr. Nani felicitated Mr. Chinnaraju who donated land for the scheme.
APIDC Divisional Engineer Uday Bhaskar, hydrologist S. Suryanarayana and other officials were present.
