Uncertainty over completion of Chanaka-Korata irrigation project in Adilabad

Expected to become a lifeline for Adilabad district, the major irrigation project was accorded administrative approval by the BRS government at an estimated cost of Rs 368 crore in November 2015. No progress was seen in the last one year due to lack of funds

Adilabad: Uncertainty looms large cast over the completion of the ambitious Chanaka-Korata (Rudha) inter-State irrigation project coming up across Penganga river taken up by the previous BRS government around nine years ago.

Expected to become a lifeline for Adilabad district, the major irrigation project was accorded administrative approval by the BRS government at an estimated cost of Rs 368 crore in November 2015. Administrative approval was given for implementation of additional components that became part of the project at a cost of Rs 795.94 crore in January 2022.

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The lift irrigation project is being built across Penganga, a tributary of Wardha river at Chanaka village in Jainath mandal and Korata village of Maharashtra, envisioning to irrigate 51,000 acres of agriculture lands in Adilabad and Boath Assembly constituencies.

The estimated cost was revised and put at Rs 1,227 crore. The value of the construction escalated to Rs 2,000 crore later.

The Covid-19 pandemic hindered the works of the project for a long time. However, the construction of a 343 metre barrage and installation of 23 crest gates were completed in 2022.

Works relating to the protection wall of the project on the Maharashtra side, lifts, pump house and canals had reached the final stage, officials said, who said the works were almost stalled following the delay in release of funds ever since the Congress came to power in 2023.

No significant progress was seen in the works for a year. Officials said that around Rs 350 crore was required to acquire 800 acres of land and to construct a distributary system consisting a 43-km main canal.

The officials stated that proposals were submitted to the government seeking funds to take up works relating to distributary canals, a reservoir at Pippalkot village, minors and sub minors in the past. However, no funds were granted for the work so far. The pending works could be completed only if the government allocated funds for the project, an official said.

Farmers in the region have pinned their hopes on the forthcoming State budget.

“Farmers will be able to earn profits in agriculture by raising multiple crops in a year if the long-pending project becomes a reality. They have been waiting for completion of the project for nine years,” Hanumanthu, a farmer from Chanaka said.

Long pending project

An understanding was reached between Maharashtra and erstwhile Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana) to construct the project across the river as an inter-State joint project on October 6, 1975.

Accordingly, governments of both States jointly started the project after the BRS government held a series of consultations with the Maharashtra government in 2015.