Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on September 17 announced the State Government’s resolve to achieve the target of providing irrigation facilities to 1.25 crore acres by speeding up works on major and medium irrigation projects.
The State Government firmed up plans to provide water to 75 lakh acres through major lift irrigation schemes and cater to the needs of another 50 lakh acres from the medium irrigation projects and restoration of water bodies like lakes and tanks.
The government’s efforts over the last few years enabled the provision of water to 85 lakh acres so far. Works pertaining to the remaining 40 lakh acres would be completed in the next three to four years. “The State is witnessing revolutionary changes in the agriculture sector,” he said.
The Chief Minister was speaking after unfurling the national flag on the occasion of National Integration Day — the day the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad merged with the Indian Union on September 17, 1948 — at Public Gardens in Hyderabad on Sunday.
He recalled the travails of the people for decades ever since Hyderabad was merged into Andhra Pradesh in 1956 against the wishes of the people. The injustices meted out to the people resulted in an intense struggle for separate Statehood which culminated in the formation of Telangana in 2014. The BRS Government which took over the reins focussed on inclusive and comprehensive development of different sectors as a result of which Telangana, the youngest State in the country, was leading over others in several parameters including per capita income, per capita power consumption and others.
“Telangana implements and the country follows has become the common adage now,” he asserted reiterating that the Government was firm on wealth creation and its equitable distribution among the people.
A day after inaugurating the first pump of the Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation scheme, the Chief Minister also recalled how Mahbubnagar district suffered for want of water for decades in spite of the fact that Krishna river was flowing through it.
The district should have received water for seven lakh acres but the opportunity was lost because of the rulers of the erstwhile united state. “From an estimated 35 lakh acre ayacut, the district received water to a meagre 4.5 lakh acres,” he lamented. Though a committee of retired engineers submitted a detailed project report for providing water to Mahbubnagar district, the Governments shelved it.
“Not a single leader from the district bothered to take up the issue with the governments then,” he said recalling how the previous governments started projects in Krishna basin for namesake and set them aside subsequently.
The BRS Government had therefore focussed on PRLIS since the formation of separate Telangana besides completing pending works on Bhima, Nettampadu, Kalwakurthy and other projects. The prestigious project overcame several obstacles securing environmental and other clearances and the first motor was commissioned on Saturday. “Orders have already been issued to expeditiously complete canals and other works so that irrigation needs of 12.3 lakh acres and drinking water for 1,226 villages spread over six districts will be catered to,” he said.
Mr. Rao elaborated on the achievements made by the State in medical, information technology, infrastructure and other sectors claiming that Hyderabad had fast turned out into a global city because of the consistent efforts made by the Government. “The progress will continue and the forces that are trying to obstruct it will be defeated,” he said.
