Telangana to revamp irrigation department for better coordination

Telangana will restructure the functioning of the irrigation department by bringing four divisions under single umbrella for faster response.

It is also work on an action plan to better utilise the huge inflows into the river network during the monsoons.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has instructed officials to prepare an action plan to make use of the river water and the huge infrastructure created through various irrigation projects and supply water to the agriculture sector and other requirements.

Pushing for reforms in the irrigation department, the CM said “As opposed to the functioning of the department under four divisions — major, medium, small, IDC, the entire irrigation department should function under one umbrella. Officials at every level should be able to execute urgent works, funds should be released and they should be given powers to spend the fund.”

The irrigation sector was the biggest priority for the State government and all necessary funds required would be allocated. The water from the projects should first be utilised to fill the tanks, later reservoirs and finally meet the requirements of the agriculture sector in the Ayacut .

“The State government is constructing major irrigation projects on the Krishna and Godavari rivers. It has completed various pending projects on a fast track mode. The best way to share the fruits of development in the irrigation sector is to supply water to more agriculture lands,” he said.

“All these years till the formation of the Telangana State, it faced water shortage and irrigation problems. The TRS government accorded top priority to the irrigation sector. With Kaleswaram and other projects, there is abundant water and we now have to utilise the water efficiently,” he said.

“Major projects, canals and reservoirs have come up in Telangana and most of the tanks have been revived. A network to supply water to one crore acres is in place. It is important to maintain the network. The government will allocate funds for maintenance in the Budget every year,” he said.

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