The Hindu Business Line : Telangana gets lion's share of irrigation pie

IT is Telangana that is going to get the lion's share in allocations for the irrigation sector in the next financial year. The sector has got Rs 10,041 crore, about 50 per cent of the total Plan expenditure in the Budget, for taking up works to complete a number of irrigation projects under `Jala Yagnam' campaign.

The Telangana region got Rs 3,530 crore, 43 per cent of a total of Rs 8,179 crore allotted for major and medium irrigation projects. (The remaining amount would be spent on minor irrigation projects and command area development).

Giving a region-wise break-up of allotment at a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Minister for Major Irrigation, said the coastal region got Rs 3,047 crore, comprising 37 per cent, while Rayalaseema was allocated Rs 1,602 crore.

When it came to medium projects, it was Telangana again which took a major portion of allocations. Of a total of Rs 944 crore, the region got Rs 577 crore, leaving Rs 301 crore for coastal region and Rs 66 crore for Rayalaseema.

He said the allotments were in tune with the timetable the Government prepared for completing projects of different sizes.

Asked whether the importance given to Telangana was a result of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Mr Devender Goud's padayatra, he said the Government was going by the plan it prepared to complete the projects.

Disputing the TDP claim that it had prepared an irrigation policy, Mr Lakshmaiah said he was going to write a letter to the TDP President, Mr N Chandrababu Naidu, challenging him to make it public.

He said the Government would come out with a comprehensive irrigation policy by April, listing district-wise and mandal-wise plans.

The Minister claimed that the State ranked first in the country in allocations for irrigation sector. In 2004-05, the State allocated Rs 4,002 crore as against Rs 21,238 crore by all States and Union Territories, including Central sector spending. During 2005-06, the State spent Rs 7,000 crore on this sector as against a total national spend of Rs 26,042 crore.

It's K.L. Rao Sagar project

The Andhra Pradesh Government has decided to name the Pulichintala project at Bellamkonda of Guntur district after the legendary irrigation engineer Dr K.L. Rao. The project would be referred to as K.L.Rao Sagar Project.

The project is intended to protect the irrigation security of 13.08 lakh acres in backward areas in the Krishna Delta, with an estimated cost of Rs 566 crore, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Chief Minister, said here in a press release.

The project also envisaged release of 20 tmc of water to Bhima Lift and generate 120 MW of power.

More Stories on : Budget | Agriculture | Rural Development | Andhra Pradesh

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
India, US likely to ink R&D, agri pacts during Bush visit

Telangana gets lion's share of irrigation pie

Ram Info signs up for iSethu