Date:01/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/01/stories/2005010105160400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Action plan on irrigation works unveiled

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, DEC. 31. The State Government has released an ambitious action plan for the New Year to complete tendering for irrigation works costing Rs. 23,000 crores by January-end and execute them immediately overcoming all court hurdles.

In the hope that the Supreme Court would on January 4 deliver its verdict on the tenders for 21 packages of Category I works, stayed by it earlier, the Government has decided to finalise tenders for the remaining 30 packages in this category on the basis of the court order by the month-end. The works for the 51 packages cost Rs. 15,421 crores.

Talking to reporters on Friday, the Major Irrigation Minister, Ponnala Laxmaiah, said in addition to nine contractors who were found eligible to execute Category I works, 16 more firms had evinced interest in participating in the tenders on the basis of a High Court judgement. They would be selected subject to eligibility by the time the Supreme Court judgement was delivered on January 4.

Open tendering

The Minister said January would also see eight irrigation works being taken up through open tendering in the backward areas of the State. Tenders for three works -- Indirasagar, Ellampally and Gorakallu -- for Rs. 1,339 crores were invited on December 27. Tenders for five more works costing Rs. 3,700 crores would be invited immediately after the Apex Court judgement.

The five works are-- Devadula phase II which has been renamed Chokka Rao Sagar, Sripada Rao lift-irrigation phase II, Gandikota (Cuddapah) lift-irrigation scheme, Dummagudem lift-irrigation phase III and tunnel work on Srisailam Left Bank Canal.

Mr. Laxmaiah said besides the Category I works costing Rs. 15,421 crores and works taken up through open-tendering costing Rs. 5,039 crores, another Rs. 3,000 crores out of Rs. 3,900 crores allotted for the irrigation sector in the budget for 2003-04 would be spent by March-end. The tenders for them would also be completed during the month. The works could not be taken up due to legal hurdles. A delay of three months was caused by litigation but it would be made up by speedy execution of works.

Eligible firms

The Category II works having 110 packages and costing Rs. 7,500 crores would be taken up in stages during the year. Fortysix firms were found eligible to take up the works. When a fresh notification was issued in pursuance of the court order, another 44 firms applied out of which 19 were found eligible, he added.