HYDERABAD: The state government is trying to earn carbon credits through its Mission Kakatiya programme and also give tax exemption to donors.
Irrigation minister T Harish Rao on Thursday launched Mission Kakatiya website, ‘missionkakatiya.cgg.gov.in’ at Jala Soudha. Speaking to reporters later, the minister said the government was trying to get carbon credits for implementation of Mission Kakatiya programme.
“The students of Michigan University who carried out a study recently on Mission Kakatiya informed that the programme will get carbon credits to the government. We have deputed officials for doing correspondence in getting carbon credits,” Harish Rao said.
He said with the availability of water in irrigation tanks, the use of urea would be reduced and energy would also be saved. Saving energy means saving coal. On these two aspects, the state government could get carbon credits for Mission Kakatiya, Harish Rao said.
He added that so far the government received `46 crore donations from the public and others for implementation of the programme. “There is a tremendous response from the public for the programme,” he added.
Harish Rao said in the first phase, restoration of 8,116 tanks were taken up with an estimated cost of `2,552 crore. Works were started on 6,523 tanks.
“From next year onwards, tenders will be finalised in December itself and works would be taken up in January,” he said.
Harish Rao thanked IPS officers for taking the initiative in Mission Kakatiya and adopting tanks. Medak SP, Gajwel press club and others actively participated in the programme, the minister said.
TAX EXEMPTION: The state government also wrote a letter to the Central government seeking 100 per cent tax exemption for amount donated to Mission Kakatiya. The state government started a Trust for implementation of Mission Kakatiya. The state government also wrote another letter to the Centre seking exemption for donations by NRIs to Mission Kakatiya, from foreign exchange regulations.
The website on Mission Kakatiya gives a detailed information to the donors on how to adopt a tank, how to donate money for a particular tank. The photos and names of donors were placed on the website. Irrigation principal secretary SK Joshi and other officials were present.