The Hindu : `Micro irrigation project facing problems'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 10, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

`Micro irrigation project facing problems'

ANANTAPUR, JAN. 9. The District Collector, Y.V. Anuradha, has admitted problems in implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Micro Irrigation Project (APMIP) in the district. Lack of trained personnel with drip/sprinkler companies allotted to the district to do the field work is proving a major hurdle.

Talking to newspersons here on Friday, she said that of the seven companies allotted to the district to supply drip and sprinkler equipment, Premier, Parixit and Nagarjuna were not in a position to do any field work due to lack of staff. The remaining four companies -- Jain, Plastro, Netafim and EPC also had shortage of staff but were doing field work with available hands.

She cited Jain had deployed eight field staffers in the district and it had finalised only 38 applications covering 48 hectares of land so far. To overcome the problem, the district administration had already trained 60 persons to help the companies' field staff in different mandals and training for another 60 persons commenced at Hindupur and Kadiri yesterday.

Mrs. Anuradha said the target for the year (by March 31) was to ground drip/sprinkler equipment on 25,000 hectares of land. The administration had received 32,706 applications covering 57,266 hectares of land. Of them, 26,770 were sent to banks after scrutiny to find out the facilities of water source and power connection. The banks had so far given consent to 22,070 applications covering 37,524 hectares of land, she said. Only 2,103 applications with coverage of 3,486 hectares of land had been given final consent so far. Applications for 48 hectares were given final sanction and the units had been grounded only on 18 hectares so far.

The Collector said the drip companies were not keeping pace with the speed of the officials. She, however, hoped that the implementation, particularly preparation of estimates, by drip companies would gain momentum in the next 10 days.

Regarding drought relief works, the Collector said the district had been allotted 25,000 metric tonnes of rice on Thursday for wage works. The district had already received Rs. 6.67 crores under the special component of SGRY and 1.34 lakh MT of rice once and Rs. 6.67 crores and 25,000 MT rice second time.

On drinking water problem, Mrs. Anuradha said the Government had released Rs. 1 crore out of Rs. 2 crores sanctioned for the purpose. The released amount was already spent for deepening the borewells, flushing out and extension of pipelines to existing water schemes. The administration had sought Rs. 8 crores to meet the drinking water needs two months ago.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News Update

Stories in this Section

Reaching out to kin to win over naxals

`Micro irrigation project facing problems'

Youth urged to take up sports

Power Grid official clarifies

Two killed in accident