Date:27/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/27/stories/2008092757850800.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Micro irrigation must for three lift schemes

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: For the entire ayacut of 2 lakh acres developed under the lift irrigation projects of Pulivendula Branch Canal, Lingala and Gandikota in Rayalaseema region, use of micro-irrigation systems such as sprinklers and drips has been made mandatory.

As in the case of other lift schemes, the government has taken a policy decision to make sprinklers and drips a must for the farmers of these three lift schemes to ensure optimum utilisation of the scarcely available water.

Major Irrigation Minister P. Lakshmaiah, who provided these details to presspersons here on Friday after discussions with Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, reasoned that if micro-irrigation system was opted, one tmcft (thousand million cubic ft) of water could cover 15,000 acres easily, instead of only 10,000 acres.

He clarified that the ayacut under these three lifts would switch over to micro-irrigation systems from January.

He announced that the subsidy allowed on purchase of micro-irrigation systems and related equipments at 90 per cent, was applicable to all farmers and was not confined to small/marginal farmers alone.

The Minister said the pilot micro-irrigation projects being implemented under AMR Canal in Nalgonda and Pulivendula Branch Canal in Kadapa were “successful”.