Andhra Pradesh - Ongole   

Officials asked to speed up canal modernisation works

ONGOLE: Prakasam District Collector Kantilal Dande on Friday asked the Irrigation department officials to speed up the canal modernisation works under the Nagarjunasagar project in the district to ensure water for farmers in the tail-end areas.

Addressing a meeting of various department officials to review the ongoing development activities in the district, he suggested joint inspection of water release by inter-department officials including revenue and irrigation to give no scope for complaints. He asked them to speed up completion of water cess collection by August 30 without fail.

He urged the Agriculture department officials to popularise the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Paddy cultivation, which required less water, less expenditure and most-suited for peasants, particularly small and marginal farmers.

Dovetailing with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MG-NREGS), he wanted the Panchayatraj Department to speed up the laying of metal roads at a cost of Rs. 82 crore to ensure better infrastructure facilities and at the same time provide livelihood for landless labourers to check migration.

Noting that only 66 of the 258 targeted borewells were sunk so far, he wanted the officials to ensure sinking of remaining borewells by March 2011.

He urged the Horticulture department officials to increase the acreage under horticulture in the district to 4,300 acres and wanted them to promote planting of Subabul and Neem tree saplings by farmers.

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