Farmers rejoice as NSL lifts to get 24X7 power supply from today

With round-the-clock power supply, the 42 lift schemes on Nagarjunasagar Left Canal will provide water to nearly 80,000 acres in three districts, i.e., Khammam, Nalgonda and Suryapet

​Nalgonda: Giving a sense of relief to the farmers cultivating under 42 lift irrigation schemes on Nagarjuna Sagar Left Canal, the government has decided to supply uninterrupted power supply 24x7.

Giving top priority to agriculture and to make available water to the last acre under lift irrigation projects, the government has taken the decision of supplying power 24X7 which is to be implemented from February 13 onwards.

On the directions of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy ordered officials concerned to implement the instructions of the Chief Minister with immediate effect.

As many as 42 lift irrigation schemes were built on the NSP Left Canal in the three districts of south Telangana to provide irrigation to 44,783 acres in Miryalaguda division of Nalgonda district, 37,058 acres in Huzurnagar division in Suryapet district and 4,800 acres in Khammam district

Some farmers under the lift irrigation schemes of Nalgonda district alleged that apathy of officials concerned in united Andhra Pradesh and step-motherly treatment of then rulers, the Sagar left canal never served their purpose.

Also in the name of power crisis and low voltage, the lift schemes were never ran for 16 hours a day in united AP, they added.

As a part of modernisation works of NSP Left Canal with World Bank assistance, of the 42 lift schemes, 36 were successfully completed.

At present, under the lift irrigation schemes of the 84,000 acres, only 30,000 acres are being cultivated by farmers of Nalgonda, Suryapet and Khammam districts.

After self analysis and on the advice of the subject experts, to address the issues of farmers of lift schemes permanently, the government took a decision of 24x7 power supply to reach the target of the schemes.

Speaking to The Hans India, Minister Jagadish Reddy on Sunday informed that in the interest of farmers, State government was ready to bear an additional burden of 400MW power per year to run the 42 lift irrigation schemes round-the-clock. He described the decision of KCR as historic and thanked him on the behalf of farmers of three districts.

Explaining about the earlier hardships of the farmers under lift irrigation in the Erstwhile AP, Reddy said Andhra rulers never paid attention to address the issues of NSP left canal and lifts.

Eight years ago, Rs 1,611 crore was sanctioned for the modernisation of Sagar Left Canal and lifts by the World Bank. The progress of the works gained momentum only after State’s bifurcation, he added
Nalgonda TRANSCO Superintending engineer E Bikshapathi informed that power Minister directed them to supply uninterrupted power to all 42 lifts on the left canal from February 13.

Nagarjunasagar SE Narsimha stated that State government move to supply 24x7 power supply to lifts on Sagar left canal was a boon to ayacut farmers. Of the 42 lift schemes, 36 were completed under modernisation works and the works of the remaining six schemes were in progress, he informed.

He further informed that at present with 16-hour power supply about 30,000 acres have been cultivating under 36 lift schemes in three districts.

“The decision of government to supply round-the-clock power to lifts will definitely fulfil the objective of the schemes,” he hoped.

Farmers of Nalgonda and Suryapet districts under lift schemes on NSP canal expressed their pleasure and thanked the government over their historic decision.