Irrigation sector gets only Rs 8,476 crore

Hyderabad: Irrigation sector has got a raw deal in the current financial year. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has earmarked Rs 8,476 crore funds for irrigation purpose in the total outlay of Rs 1.46 lakh crore in 2019-20 budget.

Perhaps, first time after the formation of Telangana in 2014, the irrigation sector has got minimum allocations. The TRS government accorded top priority to irrigation in the last five years and allocated not less than Rs 20,000 crore in every financial year.

Officials said that government had constituted separate Corporations to mobilise funds for the construction of mega irrigation projects like Kaleshwaram, Palamuru- Rangareddy lift scheme and Devadula multi- purpose projects.

All the required funds for these projects are being mobilised from the banks and other external financial institutions. The allocated limited funds will be utilised for the completion of long pending projects.

Out of Rs 8,476 crore, the government will utilise Rs 7,794 crore for major and medium projects, Rs 642 crore for minor irrigation and the remaining funds will be used for flood control and strengthening of drainage.