KARIMNAGAR: The people of Karimnagar, home to many projects serving the state’s irrigation and drinking water needs, hope that adequate funds would be allotted in Telangana’s upcoming Budget.
These projects have been pending for want of funds despite two years have gone by since the state formation. For instance, Pranahita-Chevella Sujala Sravanthi lift irrigation project is being executed at snail's pace, thanks to poor flow of funds.
It was taken up to irrigate over 16 lakh acres of barren land in Karimnagar, Adilabad, Nizamabad, Warangal and Medak, and Ranga Reddy and to provide drinking water to Hyderabad at Thummidihetti in Adilabad, on the borders of Telangana and Maharashtra, at an estimated cost of Rs 40,300 crore in 2008.
The project was redesigned following Maharashtra’s objections over submergence of some villages in that state. Then Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project (KLIP) has been proposed at an estimated cost of Rs 10,300 crore. This flagship project needs around Rs 3,000 crore grant.
Similarly, the mid-Manair reservoir aimed at irrigating 2.20 lakh acres and the Gouravalelli and Gandipelli reservoirs can materialise only if Rs 2,000 crore is earmarked.
