Telangana government gives more teeth to Irrigation CEs, territorial jurisdictions upped

Hyderabad: In a major step towards revamping the entire Irrigation department which has been rechristened as Water Resources Ministry, the Telangana government has increased the existing territorial jurisdictions headed by Chief Engineers from 13 to 19.

It was primarily decided to make Adilabad, Mancherial, Jagtial, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Ramagundam, Warangal, Mulugu, Khammam, Kothagudem, Gajwel, Sangareddy, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahbubnagar, Wanaparthy, Nagar Kurnool, and Hyderabad as the territorial jurisdictions headed by CEs. All the projects, tanks, lifts, reservoirs, barrages, pump houses, canals, sub stations will come under the territorial jurisdiction. The Irrigation department, which was divided into major, medium and small IDC wings, will now function as one department.

At a high level review on Irrigation sector, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao said that it was decided to revamp the Irrigation department in the State in tune with the revolutionary changes that were brought in the sector.

He said there was a vast difference in the situation that existed before the formation of the State and after. The irrigation facilities have increased leaps and bounds now. The increase in the ayacut due to construction of projects, canals, reservoirs, pump houses also increased the workload of the Irrigation department.

In accordance with the change in the situation, Chief Engineers (CEs) of Irrigation department as heads, more territorial jurisdictions have been created. The Irrigation department unlike in the past where it was divided among many wings will now work under one umbrella, the CM said.

KCR also decided to name Ghanpur Anicut in Medak districts after Vana Durga Project. The CM instructed the officials concerned to revive the canals under Pakala project on the request of Narasampet MLA Peddi Sudarshan Reddy to stabilise 30,000 acres of the ayacut.