Date:22/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/22/stories/2005042208230300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

More land to be under irrigation

Staff Reporter

Stage-I of Handri Neeva will irrigate 1.98 lakh acres in Kurnool and Anantapur and provide drinking water to 144 villages along the course: Minister Stage-I of Handri Neeva will irrigate 1.98 lakh acres in Kurnool and Anantapur

ANANTAPUR: The Congress Government in the State will create irrigation potential for an additional 6.5 lakh acres in the Rayalaseema region in the next four years, the Major Irrigation Minister, Ponnala Laxmaiah, said here on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, he stated that the region, at present, had irrigation facility for 9.06 lakh acres.

But, the projects taken up by the Government would take the extent to 15.53 lakh acres.

The projects would also mitigate drinking water problem to lakhs of population.

Telugu Ganga, SRBC, PABR Stage-II, Handri Neeva, Galeru Nagari and others would create the new irrigation potential in the region often hit by poor rainfall and alarming depletion of groundwater table, the Minister said.

Of the Rs. 6,350 crores allocated for irrigation works in the budget, Rs. 1,438 crores would be spent in Rayalaseema region, he said.

Central assistance

The Centre had also increased its assistance from Rs. 275 crores last year to Rs. 650 crores this year under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme. Irrespective of project-wise allocation of funds in the budget. sufficient funds would be released to the project matching the progress of works, he noted.

Giving details about the Stage-I of Handri Neeva, the Minister said it would irrigate 1.98 lakh acres in Kurnool and Anantapur and provide drinking water to 144 villages along the course.