Irrigation projects will be modernised: Devineni

Vijayawada: Irrigation projects would be modernised to strengthen the irrigation system in order to provide irrigation facility to farmers in time, said Minister for Water Resources Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, while addressing the training workshop for the government officials, representatives of water users associations under the aegis of Andhra Pradesh Irrigation and Livelihood Project- Phase-2 here on Tuesday.

He said that the government was undertaking irrigation modernisation scheme after receiving finance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). 

The JICA financed up to Rs 1,683.8 crore and the state government was bearing Rs 316.7 crore for the project, which needed to be completed in seven years but could be completed in two years.

The minister said that the government had spent Rs 15,000 crore in the last one year for water conservation. He said that the government was committed to increase the income of the farmers by increasing productivity and improving marketing facility.

APILP project director Dr PS Raghavaiah, Krishna delta chief engineer Satish Kumar, Groundwater department director Venugopala Rao, Krishan delta SE KVLNP Chowdary, Alla Venkata Gopalakrishna Rao, and others were present.