Lift to Kaleshwaram, Palamuru puts other projects on backburner

Hyderabad: It's now official. The state government had accorded top priority to the mega lift irrigation schemes – Kaleshwaram and Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) while it had put other lift irrigation schemes on the backburner.

According to official figures mentioned in the outcome budget for 2019-20, the government created only 32,481 acres of irrigation potential out of the target of nearly 59,000 acres by commissioning 37 lift irrigation schemes in 2018-19 financial year.

The government commissioned 37 lift irrigation schemes to create irrigation potential for 58,296 acres. Of this, 17 lift schemes were assisted by NABARD – RIDF and four were taken up under the AIBP (Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme). Sixteen other schemes were funded under state plan.

With the help of NABARD, the government has set the target of creation of 19,513 acres of ayacut. But only irrigation potential to the extent of 12,693 acres at the cost of Rs 119 crore could be created.

With the assistance of centrally-sponsored AIBP, 5,900 acres of new ayacut, out of a target of 12,360 acres was developed. The total assistance for lift schemes received from the Centre was Rs 74 crore only. Sources say that poor inflow of funds is another reason for this.

Under the state plan, the government could spend only Rs 152 crore.Udayasamudram lift irrigation scheme, Rajiv Bhima lift, Jawahar Nettempadu lift scheme, Thumilla lift, Koilsagar and Ghattu lift irrigation scheme were among other schemes that were taken on the Krishna river.

In Godavari basin, the government has taken up Alisagar lift irrigation scheme, Choutpally Hanmanth Reddy lift scheme and Argula Rajaram Guthpa lift scheme.

The government had designed plans for all lift schemes and entrusted works to the contract agencies. Sources said that delay in the release of funds from agencies, more concentration on Kaleshwaram and Palamuru lift schemes and official apathy could be the main reasons for not achieving the targets this year.

The government's plan to stabilise an ayacut of 43,796 acres by reviving and renovation of 33 lift irrigation schemes also did not fructify 100 per cent. It was proposed to revive and renovate 33 existing lift schemes. The Irrigation department completed the targets in 28 lift schemes by stabilising only 20,881 acres at the cost of Rs 21 crore.