The Hindu Business Line : AP seeks more Central aid for irrigation projects

THE State Government has requested the Centre to enhance the latter's loan assistance under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) from the current level of Rs 250 crore a year to Rs 600 crore as a part of its efforts to mobilise resources for the State's ambitious plan of completing 30 irrigation projects at an estimated cost of Rs 46,000 crore.

Making a statement during a discussion on irrigation projects in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, the Minister for Major Irrigation, Mr Ponnala Lakshmaiah, said the State Government was also planning to mobilise resources for the projects through various sources including increasing the budget allocations by three-fold, raising of irrigation bonds and approaching financial institutions for funds.

Mr Lakshmaiah said the State Government had decided to raise irrigation bonds through Water Resources Development Corporation and approach scheduled banks and international organisations to fund some of the projects. This apart, the Government intended to take commercial loans and make annuity-based arrangements.

The issue of irrigation projects and alleged irregularities in the finalisation of tenders had led to heated exchanges and arguments between the opposition and treasury benches in the House even on Wednesday. The members of the Telugu Desam Legislature Party (TDLP) wanted the Speaker, Mr K.R. Suresh Reddy, to take up the issue even before the question hour in the morning. The Speaker, however, did not heed to their request and posted the matter for discussion after tea break.

Subsequently, when Speaker placed the matter before the House, the TDLP members raised objections to the Major Irrigation Minister initiating the discussion by making a statement. Later, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, gave a speech levelling various charges against the Government.

Mr Naidu demanded that the Government should order a CBI probe or judicial enquiry into the entire process of irrigation projects tenders. He also wanted the Government to place all files pertaining to project estimates, tenders invitation, tenders process and tenders finalisation before the Speaker.

He said an independent high power technical committee should be constituted to investigate the entire process of tenders finalisation.

Metaphors galore

HYDERABAD: The Minister for Major Irrigation, Mr Ponnala Lakshmaiah, told the State Assembly on Wednesday that the user ID and password of the Congress Government in the State was totally different from those of the previous Telugu Desam Government headed by Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu.

"The previous Government's user ID was publicity and its password Formula I. This Government has changed the user ID to farmer and password to irrigation," the Minister said while making a statement in the House on the irrigation projects taken up the Rajasekhara Reddy Government.

In his seven-page statement, Mr Lakshmaiah also said that neglect of irrigation is an unpardonable crime and worst place is reserved in the hell for those who attempt to stall irrigation projects. - Our Bureau

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