The south Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karataka and Kerala have performed exceedingly well in terms of work completion of major and medium irrigation, and extension, renovation and modernisation (ERM) projects during the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-2012).
As per the Central Water Commission’s (CWC) updated National Register of Large Dams (NRLD), out of 5,125 large dams, work on 4,728 dams have been completed. Data from the CWC, available with the Express, states that under the 11th Plan, a total of 20 irrigation projects were completed in Andhra Pradesh. These include seven major and 13 medium-scale projects. Among the major projects completed are Guru Raghavendra Project with water storage capacity of 10.446 million cubic metre (MCM), Kandula Obula Reddy Gundlakamma Reservoir of 112.14 MCM , Kunool Cuddpah Canal modernisation project of 117.94 MCM, modernisation of Godavari delta and drainage system of 83 MCM, Somasila Project of 2209 MCM, Sri Magunta Subbarami Reddy Ramatheertham of 42.87 MCM and Thotapalli Barrage Project of 71.05 MCM.
The medium-scale irrigation projects completed in Andhra Pradesh are Bhupatipalem Reservoir scheme with the water storage capacity of 18.123 MCM, Golavagu Project of 16.069 MCM, Kovvadakalva Reservoir of 12.347 MCM, Maddhuvalasa Reservoir of 95.51 MCM, Madduvalasa Reservoir project stage two of 95.51 MCM, Mathadivagu Project of 95.51 MCM, Musurumilli Reservoir of 45.314 MCM, Neelwai Project of 23.941 MCM, Paddagedda Reservoir project of 30.383 MCM, Ralivagu Project of 11.57 MCM, Sri K V Rama Krishan Surampalem reservoir of 9.365 MCM, Swarnamukhi Barrage of 0.992 MCM and Vasireddy Krishna Murthy Naidu Janjhavati Reservoir of 96.28 MCM.
In Karnataka, work on 11 irrigation projects, four major and seven medium-scale projects, were completed during the 11th Plan. The major projects that were completed are Ghataprabha Project’s third stage of 1444.14 MCM, Harangi Project of 240.65 MCM, Kabini of 552.7 MCM and Malaprabha of 1068.41 MCM.