Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Micro irrigation report by October-end, says Naidu

By Our Staff Reporter

DICHPALLY (NIZAMABAD DT.) SEPT. 4. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, said today that the Central task force on micro irrigation, headed by him, would submit report by October-end.

Mr. Naidu was speaking to a group of journalists who met him at the APSP Seventh Battalion helipad here while on a transit halt en route Jalgaon in Maharashtra to study the drip irrigation schemes. He spent about 20 minutes at the APSP campus while the refuelling of the chopper was done. The Home Minister, T. Devender Goud, who is the also convener of the Cabinet sub-committee on mirco irrigation of the State, also accompanied the Chief Minister.

The Centre, Mr. Naidu said, had entrusted the task of preparing a status report on mirco irrigation system with emphasis on the drip and sprinkler irrigation in different parts of the country. As part of the exercise, a meeting was held in New Delhi recently where it was decided to hold similar interface with the officials concerned to find ways and means of improving the system and bring more areas under the drip and sprinkler irrigation. Another meeting is scheduled to be held in Mumbai and Hyderabad before the final meeting in New Delhi so that the report is submitted in time.

Mr. Naidu said the Government was keen on reducing excise duty and sales tax on the drip irrigation equipment so that the benefits reached the ryots. Adoption of the drip and sprinkler irrigation systems, would help the farmers on cultivation and getting excellen returns. Andhra Pradesh was next only to Maharashtra in terms of number of acres brought under drip and sprinkler irrigation.

In the first phase the Andhra Pradesh Government would bring 6.20 lakh acres under drip and sprinkler irrigation. Maintenance of the equipment was a herculean task. In Karnataka the project failed as maintenance became a casualty. Plans were afoot to introduce annual maintenance contract of the system so that the ryots were benefited, Mr. Naidu said.

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