The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Devadula ready in 2 years: Ponnala

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 29, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Devadula ready in 2 years: Ponnala

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MARCH 28. The first phase of the Godavari Lift Irrigation Scheme at Devadula will be completed in two years, the Major Irrigation Minister, P. Lakshmaiah, said in the Assembly on Monday.

He told V. Narender Reddy (TDP), that the first phase was designed to lift 5.18 tmc to irrigate an ayacut of 1.23-lakh acres in Warangal and Karimnagar districts. An amount of Rs. 151 crores, of the allocated Rs. 397 crores for 2004-05, was spent up to January 2005. Another Rs. 195 crores would be spent before the month-end.

Under the second phase, it was envisaged to create an ayacut of 2.85-lakh acres by lifting 7.25 tmc in 12 mandals of Warangal district. Tenders have been floated on EPC turnkey basis through e-procurement and the process of finalising tenders was on. The balance works to be taken up under the final phase were in the tender stage.

Replying to another question, he denied that modernisation works of the KC canal were of inferior quality. He told N. Varadarajulu Reddy (Cong), that hairline cracks were observed in the concrete lining in some of the reaches, but no breaches had occurred in the lined portions. Action was being taken to repair the cracks by the contractor at his own cost during the defect liability period.

He, however, offered to get examined by a senior officer, works relating to certain distributaries mentioned by Mr. Reddy when the latter wanted a House committee to go into the issue.

Minor irrigation

The Minor Irrigation Minister, A. Chandrashekhar, told Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu (TDP), and others that Rs. 250 crores was released, against the allocation of Rs. 260 crores, for the development of minor water resources. Works under minor irrigation were identified based on the hydrological clearance and works were being identified by tendering procedure (for below Rs. 10 lakhs conventional procedure and for above Rs. 10 lakhs by e-procurement).

The Panchayat Raj Minister, J. C. Diwaker Reddy, informed R. Chenga Reddy (Cong), that there was no proposal to reduce the number of gram panchayats.

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

Andhra Pradesh