Rs.2,000 crore released for irrigation project LA, R&R works, Rs.3,000 crore under process, says Uttam

Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said Rs 5,000 crore had been assured for land acquisition and R&R works linked to irrigation projects across Telangana. He reviewed projects in four districts and directed officials to speed up clearances and pending works

Hyderabad: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday said Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had assured Rs 5,000 crore on priority for land acquisition and rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) works linked to irrigation projects across Telangana. He said Rs 2,000 crore had already been released, while the remaining Rs 3,000 crore was under process.

Addressing a comprehensive review of irrigation projects in Karimnagar, Jagtial, Peddapalli and Rajanna Sircilla districts, Uttam Kumar Reddy directed District Collectors and Irrigation officials to prioritise land acquisition, R&R, forest clearances and environmental approvals and resolve them on a war footing.

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Agriculture Minister and district in-charge Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, IT Minister D Sridhar Babu, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Social Welfare Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar participated in the review.

Uttam Kumar Reddy asked Collectors to raise financial requirements and obtain the necessary tokens without delay. He said compensation to landowners and rehabilitation of project-affected families should proceed alongside engineering works wherever feasible. He directed officials to immediately resolve land-related issues and restart the balance works on the Mid Manair Left Canal. He also asked officials to fast-track the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Reservoir at Pathipaka in Dharmaram mandal of Peddapalli district.

The proposed scheme aims to create 10,000 acres of new irrigation potential and stabilise 2.40 lakh acres under D-83 to D-94 of the Kakatiya Main Canal, covering Dharmapuri, Choppadandi, Peddapalli, Ramagundam and Manthani constituencies. Two alternatives, involving 3-TMC and 5-TMC reservoirs, are under examination. The LIDAR survey and data processing have been completed, while borehole drilling, trial pits and geotechnical investigations are in progress. Officials assured that the detailed project report (DPR) would be submitted by the end of August.

The Rollavagu project in Beerpur mandal of Jagtial district, which is 96 per cent complete, was also reviewed. The project aims to increase storage from the existing 0.250 TMC to about 0.949 TMC by harnessing the local catchment and sustaining nearly 15,000 acres of tail-end ayacut. Major components, including three bunds, the surplus weir and head sluices, have substantially been completed. The remaining work largely depends on forest clearance, as a portion of Bund-II falls within forest land. Land for compensatory afforestation has already been identified and the wildlife mitigation plan approved.