Andhra Pradesh to train farmers for optimum utilisation of water resources

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to train farmers for better utilisation of water resources from various irrigation projects across the state at a cost of Rs 200 crore, state Water Resources minister D Umamaheswara Rao said on Friday.

Inaugurating a newly constructed building for Water Resources Department and Farmers Training Center here, Rao told reporters that the engineering staff would also be provided training on the latest technology in irrigation.

"The Government would bring out a publication soon on the details of all ongoing irrigation projects and also on the impact of those projects on the state's economy as well as farmers' benefit," he said.

He said that the government has decided to implement the latest technology to review the progress of all projects from time to time.

"The government has allocated Rs 10,000 crore for this financial year for speedy implementation of the ongoing projects," Rao said adding "linking of Godavari and Krishna river is already providing a lot of benefits with the transfer of 4 TMC water from Godavari which has been utilised in Krishna district to save standing crops in 8 lakh acres."

He said the linking of Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers in Srikakulam district would be completed very soon.

The Thotapalli project was dedicated to the nation a few months ago and the Gunlakamma project would also be dedicated to the country to meet the water requirements of Prakasam district, the minister said.

He said the Polavaram irrigation project on river Godavari was taken up by the Centre as a national project and it would be completed by 2018.