New Irrigation Projects Across Krishna, Godavari : Telangana wakes up to Centre's call, to submit DPRs for fund flow

Hyderabad: The State government has begun to take measures to avail Central funds for irrigation projects. As insisted by the Centre, the government has directed the concerned officials to submit DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) of all irrigation projects taken up on the Krishna and the Godavari rivers to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry.

It may be mentioned here that the Union Jal Shakti Minister shot off letters to the Telangana government two times on the delay in the submission of the DPRs to the Centre after the Apex Council meeting held with the Chief Ministers of two Telugu States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in October last year.

Taking into consideration the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh government's strong objections on the projects taken up by the Telangana State government, the Union Ministry was demanding the submission of DPRs of all new projects.

The projects taken up in the Krishna Basin are - Palamuru-Rangareddy LIS, R Vidyasagar Rao Dindi LIS, Bhakta Ramadasu LIS, Water Grid Projects under Mission Bhagiratha, Tummilla Irrigation Scheme, Mahatma Gandhi Kalwakurthy LI S, Jawahar Nettempadu LIS and Alimineti Madhava Reddy Srisailam Left Bank Canal.

On the Godavari, the Telangana government has constructed Godavari LIS (lift irrigation scheme) Phase-3, Sita Rama LIS, PVN Rao Kanthanapally Sujala Sravanthi Tupakulagudem, Telangana Drinking Water Supply Project, three barrages on Lower Penganga Project, inter- basin water transfer from Ramappa Lake (Godavari basin) to Pakhal Lake (Krishna basin), Warangal district and Kaleshwaram Project (third TMC component).

"Along with DPRs, the government would also submit a report on expenditure incurred on the projects so far. In all, nearly Rs 2 lakh crore was spent on the projects by the TS government since 2014," a senior official said adding that the State had been demanding the release of special funds to the projects including Mission Bhagiratha and Kaleshwaram.

The Centre would come to know how much money is being spent on the projects and challenges faced by the government to mobilise the funds to complete the projects.

Under the AIBP (Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme) which is also called as Pradhanmantri Krishi Sanchaya Yojana, the government would also get additional funds through submission of the DPRs to the centre, he said.

"The State would be free from the burden of huge requirement of funds once the Centre makes allocations under AIBP to certain projects", he added.