VIJAYAWADA: Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu has said that the State government has intensified efforts to restore the irrigation canal network. He charged that the previous YSRCP regime led by former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy destroyed the irrigation network causing hardships to farmers between 2019 to 2024.
Reviewing the progress of Operation and Maintenance (O&M) works and the Veligonda Project through a video conference with irrigation officials at his Camp Office in Vijayawada on Friday, the Minister announced that the coalition government had allocated Rs 708 crore in two phases for O&M works within its first year in office.
He said a third phase involving Rs 397 crore has now been sanctioned for urgent canal maintenance works, including weed removal, desilting, and repair works. Ramanaidu stressed that these works must be completed at the earliest by the commencement of the Kharif season.
The Minister alleged that basic maintenance works of canals were ignored during the regime of the YSRCP, resulting in severe hardships and losses for farmers.
He stated that to speed up emergency works, the Cabinet had approved a mechanism allowing short tenders to be called within seven days for projects exceeding Rs 10 lakh.
Out of 6,502 identified works, nearly 5,943 works (about 91 percent) will be executed through Water Users Associations. Ramanaidu directed officials from the Chief Engineer level to field staff to closely monitor the works and ensure timely completion. He also instructed irrigation authorities to submit weekly progress reports and coordinate O&M activities with the Jaladhara programme to improve groundwater levels.
The Minister said a review meeting on Jaladhara would be conducted later this month with the participation of Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, district collectors, and irrigation officials.