Paucity of funds hit ongoing irrigation projects

Funds crunch have hit many ongoing irrigation projects in the district as enough allocations have not been made in the State Budget presented by Chief Minister K Rosaiah.

The Indira Sagar lift irrigation project which was taken up near Rudramkota village in 2006-2007 at an estimated cost of Rs 1824 crore was supposed to be completed by 2012 and benefit three district. The project was launched with an objective of irrigating 2 lakh acres out of which 1.33 lakh acres are in seven mandals of the district, 24,000 acres in two mandals of Krishna district and 44,000 acres in four mandals of West Godavari district.

The State has taken up three irrigation projects under Jalayagnam scheme to irrigate 4 lakh acres in the district. The Rajeev Sagar Dummagudem lift irrigation project has been taken up at a cost of Rs 1681 crore and it will irrigate about 2 lakh acres in 16 mandals in the district. The government has spent Rs 377 crore on the project so far.

The Government has spent Rs 678 crore till December 2009 and it has allotted Rs 232 crore in the recent Budget. Bills worth Rs 18 crore were pending with the Government and the contractors have been waiting for payments. The project needs Rs 5,861 acre to complete

the project but the officials acquired 2,300 acres till now.