Hyderabad: Irrigation minister T. Harish Rao on Monday said that tenders for the new barrage-cum-lift irrigation scheme at Kaleswaram would be invited within a week and the project will be completed in the next 2.5 years to supply water to over seven lakh acres. The minister told newsmen here that Rs 25,000 crores will be earmarked annually in the state Budget for taking up various irrigation works.
He said with the TS government entering into an agreement with Maharashtra on construction of five barrages including one in Kaleswaram, very soon the entire north Telangana region would benefit with canal irrigation besides improvement in groundwater table.
He said his meeting with Union water resources minister Uma Bharathi a few days ago yielded results and they received a communique from the Centre on Monday that Rs 112.50 crore was released for the Devadula lift irrigation project under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme. He said he brought to the notice of Ms Bharathi that the Centre has stopped funding the Devadula project under AIBP between 2012 and 2014 and had only released Rs 59 crore during 2014-15 against the requirement of Rs 125 crore.
