The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : Budgetary allocation casts doubt on Sujala Sravanthi

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Monday, Feb 22, 2010
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Budgetary allocation casts doubt on Sujala Sravanthi

R. Jagadeeswara Rao

It has been reduced from Rs. 50 crores last fiscal to Rs. 10 crores

Total cost of the project is Rs.7,214.10 crores
Proposed ayacut under it is eight lakh acres

VISAKHAPATNAM: The budgetary allocations to various projects under the prestigious Jalayagnam programme bode ill for the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi irrigation project, which has the potential to transform the three North coastal districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam.

In last category

An indication that it was not on the priority list of the government was available a few months ago when Minister for Major Irrigation Ponnala Lakshmaiah prioritised the Jalayagnam projects for execution.

Projects were classified for execution on a time schedule. Some should be completed within two years, others in a period of four years and the remaining projects were to be taken up after four years.

Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi was listed in the last category, which, according to experts in the field of irrigation, amounted to sweeping it under the carpet.

Unlike other irrigation projects of Jalayagnam, which faced some problem or the other (technical problems, issues of clearances, etc.), the Suajala Sravanthi project had no such hurdles, they pointed out.

The apprehensions of experts about the intentions proved right if the allocation for the project in the 2010-11 budget was any indication.

The total cost of the project for which the then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy laid foundation amidst much fanfare was Rs.7,214.10 crores.

The administrative sanction for the said amount was accorded in January 2009. In the subsequent budget, a token amount of Rs.50 crores had been allocated, but not a single rupee was spent.

Even this amount was reduced and a paltry sum of Rs.10 crores was allocated for the project.

The intentions, according to experts, were very clear, namely, to keep it in the backburner.

Drinking water

The proposed ayacut under the project is eight lakh acres (Visakhapatnam 3.21 lakh acres, Vizianagaram 3.94 acres and Srikakulam 0.85 acres) and the value of annual foodgrains, about 12.32 MTs, is put at Rs.2,844 crores.

Besides providing water to various industries, the project, named after Babu Jagjivan Ram, was aimed at providing drinking water to an estimated 30 lakh population spread over 1,200 villages.

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