The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Maharashtra assures completion of Lendi project by December

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 27, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Maharashtra assures completion of Lendi project by December

Special Correspondent

Maharashtra striving to get Central clearance
Lower Penganga will irrigate 40,000 acres

HYDERABAD: Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has assured Andhra Pradesh that the crucial works of Lendi, a joint project taken up by the two States, will be completed by December this year and partial irrigation benefits ensured thereafter.

At a meeting with AP Major Irrigation Minister P. Lakshmaiah in Mumbai on Saturday, Mr Deshmukh said all-out efforts are being made by Maharashtra to get Central clearances for Lower Penganga, another joint project of the two States. He said works on the project will be launched soon after the disposal of the case pending before a Bench of the Aurangabad High Court, which is expected shortly.

Works in progress

He told Mr Lakshmaiah that in the meantime, works relating to preparation of design, command area survey, investigation of the foundation strata for the dam and spillway and land acquisition were in progress.

Signed agreement

The two States had already signed the necessary agreements covering these projects in the past. According to these agreements, Andhra Pradesh will contribute Rs 202 crore towards its share of the Lendi project whose cost has now been revised to Rs 432 crore. The project will irrigate 22,000 acres in Nizamabad district of Andhra Pradesh and 27,000 acres in Maharashtra.

Irrigation

Lower Penganga project will irrigate 2.1 lakh acres in Maharashtra and 40,000 acres in Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh. While the cost of the project is Rs 2,100 crore, the share of Andhra Pradesh has been fixed at Rs 250 crore.

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