HYDERABAD: Stating that the Water and Land Management Training and Research Institute (WALAMTARI) at Rajendranagar would be restored to its past glory, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the state government would grant additional funds to resume the institute’s core functions, including training and research in irrigation and land management.
Uttam, along with Panchayat Raj Minister D Anasuya alias Seethakka, Mahbubabad MP Balram Naik and senior officials, visited the institute on Thursday.
WALAMTARI Director General M Anita presented a detailed overview of the institute’s history, activities and the present challenges.
The minister was shocked to learn that WALAMTARI — established in 1983 as a World Bank-aided project and recognised as one of the four apex training institutions in Telangana — was not conducting training programmes on a regular basis.
Officials informed him that except for salary allocations, no funds had been released in recent years for training, research, or infrastructure development.
Uttam agreed to the proposal to construct a boundary wall around the institute to prevent further encroachments.
Proposed projects
WALAMTARI proposed projects worth `25 crore in the coming years, including induction training for newly recruited engineers, construction of a compound wall, infrastructure development and procurement of agricultural equipment.
The institute is also working on projects with national agencies like the National Water Mission and the National Mission for Clean Ganga, aiming to promote sustainable agriculture, climate adaptation, and groundwater recharge.
As part of an expansion vision, WALAMTARI is proposed to be designated as a ‘Centre of Natural Farming’ to conduct master-level training programmes for scientists and farmers. Uttam said he would take up this proposal with the Union government during his next visit to Delhi.
Centre supplies coarse rice, not fine rice: Min
Hyderabad: Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday urged people’s representatives, including MLAs, MPs and MLCs, to have meals at the residences of fine variety rice scheme beneficiaries to publicise the initiative of the state government, which he said was the first of its kind in the country.
During a review meeting on fine quality rice distribution scheme and functioning of ration shops, the minister also urged Congress legislators to effectively counter the allegations being levelled by opposition parties regarding the quality and supply of quality rice.
Slamming the claims of the BJP leaders, Uttam said: “The Union government supplies only coarse rice, not fine rice. Their claims that the Centre is providing fine rice to be distributed through the Public Distribution System are completely false.
Telangana government is paying 20% more than what the Centre provides to ensure supply of fine rice to beneficiaries.”