The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Efforts on to irrigate 70,000 acres under Indira Jalaprabha

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Efforts on to irrigate 70,000 acres under Indira Jalaprabha

Staff Reporter

Plans to cover 10 lakh acres across the State under the Indira Jalaprabha scheme
Estimated cost of the scheme is said to be around Rs. 1,600 crore

SANGAREDDY: The district administration is making efforts to irrigate 70,000 acres belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes under the Indira Jalaprabha scheme introduced by the government. The government plans to cover 10 lakh acres across the State under the scheme in two years. The estimated cost of the scheme is said to be around Rs. 1,600 crore.

While half the amount will be spent from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) the remaining will be allocated through NABARD funds. According to sources, about 7,000 points have been identified in the district to take up works covering 10 acres at each point in all the mandals. In case land belonging to SCs and STs is not available in the stretch, officials have been given the option of covering lands of small and marginal farmers belonging to the Backward Classes. District authorities have been asked to submit the relevant data based on which the detailed project report (DPR) for each district will be prepared. The programme is likely to be launched by the end of June or early July.

As far as providing irrigation is concerned, three options have been given to the implementing authority which includes surface water irrigation structures with MGNREGS funds, open wells with MGNREGS funds and drilling of bore wells with NABARD funds. Bore wells will be combined with micro irrigation (drip/ sprinkler) compulsorily so as to achieve optimum utilisation of water. “We are sure that this will bring more area under cultivation,” said P. Jaipal Rao, assistant Project Director (MGNREGS), DWMA.

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