Hyderabad: Big push to agriculture, irrigation may help TS

Hyderabad: Big push to Agriculture and Irrigation in the Union Budget 2020-21 may help the Telangana government in the completion of big and small irrigation projects and drinking water supply scheme under Mission Bhagiratha in the new financial year.

The Union government has earmarked Rs 2.83 lakh crore for the Agriculture and allied sectors, Rs 3.06 lakh crore to Jal Jeevan Mission, aiming to the supply safe drinking water to every household, and Rs 28, 261 crore for Jal Shakthi programme under which the States will get grants to take up irrigation schemes.

The State officials said that the substantial increase of the allocations to the farming sector will help the State to get funds under centrally sponsored schemes mainly construction of food processing units and the promotion of marketing facilities to the horticulture output at the national and international level.

Telangana government has prepared plans to set up food processing units in every district, and also establish crop colonies to make farming a profitable profession.

The State government is expecting financial assistance from the Centre. Huge fund allocations to Jal Jeevan Mission will also help Telangana in getting funds to complete the ongoing Mission Bhagiratha scheme for the supply of potable drinking water.

Since the objective of the two schemes is the same and the State has every right to seek funds for the State-sponsored programmes from the Centre.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has been demanding Central grants for Mission Bhagiratha for which NITI Ayog recommended the Centre to provide special funds to Telangana but the Union government did not oblige till today.

The State is also expecting more funds from the Centre under Jal Shakthi Abhiyan for the revival of abandoned water bodies and for medium irrigation projects under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Program (AIBP).

Officials, however, are not sure that the quantum of funds to be released to Telangana under the centrally sponsored schemes unless the State department gets an official communication.