HYDERABAD: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had assured Rs 5,000 crore on priority for land acquisition and R&R works for irrigation projects across Telangana. Of this, Rs 2,000 crore had been released, and the remaining Rs 3,000 crore was under process, noting that lack of funds would delay projects nearing completion.
Reviewing irrigation projects in Karimnagar, Jagtial, Peddapalli and Rajanna Sircilla districts on Saturday, Uttam asked district collectors and irrigation officials to prioritise land acquisition, forest clearances and environmental approvals and resolve them on a war footing.
Collectors were asked to raise financial requirements and obtain tokens without delay, while compensation and rehabilitation of project-affected families should proceed alongside engineering works wherever feasible.
As part of the review, Uttam asked officials to resolve land-related issues and restart the balance works on the Mid Manair Left Canal. He stressed that revised estimates, land acquisition, tenders and statutory clearances should be pursued simultaneously.
He also asked officials to fast-track the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Reservoir at Pathipaka in Dharmaram mandal of Peddapalli district. The scheme is proposed 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 — a 3 tmcft and a 5 tmcft reservoir — are under examination. LIDAR survey and data processing have been completed, while borehole drilling, trial pits and geotechnical investigations are under way,” he said. Officials assured that the DPR would be submitted by the end of August.