Gadigedda lift irrigation benefits 13 villages: Botcha

Vizianagaram: With the modernisation of Gadigedda lift irrigation scheme, two crops can be grown annually in 2,950 acres of land in 12 villages of Gurla mandal and one village of Gajapati mandal, said Minister for Transport Botcha Satyanarayana. He laid foundation stone for the works to cost Rs 16.62 crore at Thettangi village of Gurla mandal in the district, on Sunday. In the same village, MP Botcha Jhansi Lakshmi inaugurated the new building for the primary health care centre that was constructed at a cost of Rs 40 lakh. Addressing a public meeting on the occasion, the minister saidthat modernisation works were taken up with an aim to irrigate even the tail-end areas of the ayacut in the last village out of the 13 villages that are covered under the scheme. Because of silting, damaged gates, broken drainages and other reasons irrigation was hampered. Their repairs, renovation, concrete lining works would be completed in 18 months and the Thotapalli reservoir water would be aligned with Gadigedda by next July, he said. With this there will be water for 365 days in the scheme, he added. Mechanised farming is a must for growing of crops. He reminded that the government was extending subsidised loans for buying the agriculture machines. Servicing centres will be set up in the district after consulting with Nabard officials, he said. Drinking water is being supplied to 33 villages at a cost of Rs 9 crore, he said. Another tanker would be provided for Thettangi and a school will be sanctioned, he said. He said that Rs 1.25 lakh would be sanctioned to the Girijan villages for taking up electrification works. Local MP Botcha Jhansilakshmi said that the Central and State governments were working hard for the development of backward regions. Steps would be taken for the setting up of pump sets that work with solar energy. Proposals have been made for setting up four more PHCs, she said. Benches would be provided in the classrooms from Class VIII to Class X under Corporate Social Responsibility, she added.