Top priority to irrigation, says Bhatti

Proposing Rs.28,024 crore for irrigation in the budget, the Finance Minister said the State government was aiming at completing the Dr BR Ambedkar Pranahita Chevella project to irrigate the upper regions of Telangana.

Hyderabad: Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the State government was according top priority to the irrigation sector and focus was being laid on completing projects with less expenditure and to get more land under irrigation.

Towards this, the Alimineti Madhav Reddy Srisailam Left Bank Canal, Mahatma Gandhi Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation scheme (LIS), Jawahar Nettempadu LIS, Rajiv Bhima LIS, Koil Sagar LIS, SRSP- Indiramma Flood Flow canal, J Chokka Rao Devadula LIS, Komaram Bheem and Chinna Kaleshwaram projects were being considered, he said in the Assembly here on Saturday.

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Proposing Rs.28,024 crore for irrigation in the budget, the Finance Minister said the State government was aiming at completing the Dr BR Ambedkar Pranahita Chevella project to irrigate the upper regions of Telangana.

The State government was also committed to get rightful share of River Krishna and Godavari waters and would not shy away from fighting for justice, he said.

“We promised the people that a thorough inquiry will be ordered on the construction quality, ill-conceived designs and corruption involved in Annaram, Medigadda and Sundilla barrages. Our action will be in tune to what was promised to the people,” Bhatti Vikramarka said.

Asserting that a Rs.2 lakh loan waiver programme for farmers would be implemented, the Finance Minister said guidelines were being prepared for implementation. Under Rythu Bharosa, Rs.15,000 per acre would be extended to all beneficiaries and tenant farmers as well.

“We will also implement a crop insurance scheme based on the PM Fasal Bhima Yojana. We are studying various schemes being implemented in other States and a model will be prepared suited to our conditions for implementation,” Bhatti Vikramarka said.

Stating that measures were being taken to develop Telangana as an education hub, the Finance Minister said proposals have been finalized to set up Telangana Public Schools with international standards in every mandal. “For establishing these schools on pilot basis, we are proposing Rs.500 crore in this budget,” he said.

Stressing on the need to revamp higher education sector, he said measures would be initiated to this effect shortly. New courses would be introduced colleges to increase employability prospects of students, he said.“Rs.500 crore is proposed in this budget for infrastructure facilities in all the universities, including Osmania University,” the Finance Minister said.

House sites would be given to those who do not have houses and Rs.5 lakh financial assistance would be extended to those who own a site. As many as 3,500 houses would be sanctioned to each Assembly constituency under Indiramma Housing scheme for which Rs.7,740 crore were proposed in this budget, he added.