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Irrigation water continues to be elusive for farmers
More than two-thirds of minor lift irrigation (LI) schemes, the lifeline of small and marginal farmers, in the State have become either defunct or obsolete thus diluting the very concept of the Irrigation Development Corporation established in 1974 with an aim to provide irrigation facilities to small and marginal farmers in upland areas.
TSIDC grapples with defunct minor LI schemes
Hyderabad: More than two-thirds of minor lift irrigation (LI) schemes, the lifeline of small and marginal farmers, in the State have become either defunct or obsolete thus diluting the very concept of the Irrigation Development Corporation established in 1974 with an aim to provide irrigation facilities to small and marginal farmers in upland areas.
According to official records, there are around 580 minor LI schemes in the State with an irrigation potential of nearly 5 lakh acres. Of which, 180 are fully functional; another 175 are partially functional working below their actual capacity and the rest are either defunct or obsolete. In all, these LI schemes are able to provide irrigation facility to just around 1.25 lakh acres.
Majority of these LI schemes were constructed in the undivided Andhra Pradesh several years ago. Due to lack of periodical maintenance of the motors, these schemes have become dysfunctional. Despite repeated representations from farmers’ committees to the government, majority of the LI schemes remained non-functional.
Though the government allocated Rs 274 crore in 2016-17 budget for the restoration of the schemes, the authorities made use of just Rs 177 crore. According to sources, the government has plans to restore 154 schemes with an outlay of Rs 294 crore which includes Rs 39 crore from the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund, and Rs 36 crore under Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP).
Speaking to The Hans India, All India Kisan Sabha national vice-president Sarampalli Malla Reddy said: “Initially, the minor LI schemes ran successfully when the then (undivided) Andhra Pradesh government established State Irrigation Development Corporation in 1974. Later, the successive governments, allegedly due to the pressure exerted by the World Bank, entrusted the running of LI schemes to ayacutdars’ committees. This led to the downfall of LI schemes.”
Blaming the previous governments for diluting the TSIDC, its chairman Eada Shankar Reddy said: “We have data of the defunct LI schemes and have plans to replace the existing RC pipelines with the MS and PVC pipes besides restoring the defunct motors to augment irrigation facilities in the State. Efforts are on to bring another 1.50 lakh acres under irrigation in this kharif.” Disclosing plans to address the staff crunch in the TSIDC, he said that technical staff will be appointed to supervise the functioning of LI schemes.
