Irrigation canal repairs begin under MGNREGS

Srikakulam: Minorand sub-minor irrigation canals repair works are covered under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the district. For the last five years, canals under the Vamsadhara river water project, Gotta Barrage, Narayanapuram, Madduvalasa and Thotapalli projects and canals linked with the major irrigation tanks have been neglected by the YSRCP government due to fund scarcity. As a result, supply of the water for tail-end areas became difficult in several mandals like Etcherla, Ranastalam, Laveru, G.Sigadam, Palasa, Vajrapukotturu across the district.

In the wake of advance monsoon rains, farmers have started kharif season works in the district. Against this backdrop, the state government decided to remove silt in the canals and clear the growth on either side of the canals. So far, the irrigation projects engineering officials concerned have been identified the canals which required repairs and same is forwarded to the district water resources management agency (DWMA) as it is the nodal agency at district level to monitor works under the MGNREGS. Workers under the NREGS started silt removing and growth clearance works in major irrigation tanks and its linked minor and sub-minor canals in the district.