NIZAMABAD: In a major respite for scores of farmers whose agricultural fields are situated in the upland areas of Banswada Assembly constituency, the Irrigation Department authorities have decided to construct two Lift Irrigation Schemes (LIS) — Jakora and Chandur — on the Nizamsagar canal to provide irrigation water to about 10,000 acres. The issue had been pending with the State government for several years.
According to sources, the government has already allocated Rs106 crore for the two schemes. Apart from Jakora and Chandur LIS, the government has also allocated funds for other developmental works in Banswada. Despite being known for its rich agricultural sector, certain villages in the Banswada Assembly constituency, through which the Manjeera river flows and is also a home to the Nizamsagar project, have been facing an acute shortage of irrigation water for quite some time now. The most affected are the 20 to 25 villages in Chandur and Varni mandals.
Though the State government has started providing water to the Nizamsagar project through the KLIS, this won’t help the villages in Chandur and Varni mandals as they are situated in the upland areas of the constituency. It is in view of this that the government has decided to construct two new LIS on the Nizamsagar canal.
According to engineers concerned, while the authorities will be able to provide irrigation water to around 2,850 acres through the Chandur scheme, water to the remaining around 4, 200 acres will be provided via the Jakora. The government has also decided to increase the capacity of the Siddapur tank by 0.5 tmcft and has sanctioned `72.50 crore to this regard.