Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Thursday said that the State government was committed to maximising the utilisation of Godavari waters through gravity and lift irrigation projects, while preparing to meet the challenges posed by climate change.

He was speaking to the media after inspecting the off-take point and pumphouse of the Sita Rama Lift Irrigation Project (SRLIP) at Ammagaripalli in Bhadradri Kothagudem district along with Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy on Thursday.

The Deputy CM said the government had drawn up a comprehensive plan for the optimum utilisation of  Godavari waters.

Recalling a recent review of the Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme, Mr. Vikramarka said all pumps at the Sammakka Barrage backwaters were operated at full capacity to fill 22 reservoirs spread across nearly 12 districts and 17 Assembly constituencies.

Directing the officials to expedite the SRLIP works, he said the government was determined to complete the project at the earliest and ensure irrigation water reached the tail-end ayacut.

He recalled that the Rajiv Sagar (Dummugudem) and the Indira Sagar Lift Irrigation Projects were conceived during the tenure of former Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh late Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy to irrigate four lakh acres at an estimated cost of ₹3,505 crore. Nearly ₹2,000 had already been spent before the State’s bifurcation, he said.

Alleging that the previous BRS government redesigned the projects despite only about ₹1,505 crore being required to complete them, he claimed the project cost escalated to nearly ₹24,000 crore with the addition of the Seethamma Sagar Barrage.

He accused the previous BRS rulers of ‘looting’ thousands of crores of public funds in the name of ‘project redesign’.

The Deputy CM said the Congress government reviewed the project after assuming office and decided to complete, considering  the substantial public investment already made.

He said missing distributary canals and reservoir capacity issues were being addressed. The Rajiv Canal was being linked with the Sagar Canal, while link canals and tunnels were being built to fill the Wyra and Palair reservoirs. Works were also being accelerated to extend irrigation up to Sathupalli.

A month-wide action plan had been prepared and regular reviews were being conducted to ensure timely completion of the SRLIP works, he said, adding that funds would be released promptly for land acquisition, wherever required for irrigation project works.

Later, Mr. Vikramarka, along with the two Ministers, inspected the tunnel-point of the SRLIP at Yatalakunta in Sathupalli mandal and reviewed the progress of the works on the spot.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Monday said the State government would complete the J. Chokka Rao Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme on a war footing by clearing all pending bills, and by expediting the remaining works.

Mr. Vikramarka, accompanied by Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, visited the project and reviewed its progress with senior officials in Kannaigudem mandal of Mulugu district. The Ministers also inspected pumping facilities, water storage conditions, and ongoing works at various components of the scheme in Mulugu district.

Addressing the media after the review, Mr. Vikramarka criticised the previous BRS government over the condition of the Kaleshwaram project barrages. Referring to the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP), he said that the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and the Central Water Commission (CWC) had advised against storing water in the structures until repair works were completed.

Mr. Vikramarka said the government was taking precautionary measures in view of the possibility of deficient rainfall and El Nino conditions. As part of this strategy, efforts were being made to fill all 22 reservoirs linked to the Devadula project and maximise utilisation of Godavari waters.

Of the ₹146 crore sanctioned, ₹58 crore has been earmarked for land acquisition, ₹74 crore for pending project works and ₹ 14 crore for maintenance activities. He said there would be no shortage of funds for the project and assured that all pending issues, including land acquisition and technical bottlenecks, would be addressed expeditiously.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the government aimed to fully utilise the project’s designed capacity of 38.16 TMC and provide irrigation water to the entire ayacut. He added that all 10 pumps in the Devadula system would be made operational to ensure uninterrupted supply of irrigation and drinking water to nearly 12 districts in the Godavari basin.

Mr. Vikramarka emphasised that the Devadula and Sita Rama Lift Irrigation projects would be completed on a war footing with the objective of providing a dependable water source to farmers in the erstwhile Warangal and Khammam districts.

Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy described the Devadula project as a top priority project for the government. He said a comprehensive review was conducted on land acquisition, pending works, pumping capacity and reservoir filling, and instructions were issued to ensure that all 10 pumps become fully operational within the next few days.

He added that water was already being pumped into reservoirs at different stages and that efforts were under way to ensure all 22 reservoirs were filled to capacity.

Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy noted that the scheme has the capacity to provide irrigation to about 6.14 lakh acres, with a majority of the ayacut located in the erstwhile Warangal region.