Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in a written statement on Monday, told Rajya Sabha that 4.1 lakh hectares irrigation potential was created so far under 11 ongoing major and medium irrigation projects in Telangana under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana – Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (PMKSY-AIBP).
The 11 projects were included in the PMKSY-AIBP priority projects list in 2016 with a combined irrigation potential of 5.7 lakh hectares. In a statement tabled as part of the Question Hour, in response to a question raised by BJP member from Telangana K. Laxman, the Minister said the State government had reported that 4.1 lakh hectares irrigation potential was created so far.
Similarly, under the Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies component of PMKSY, 575 water bodies were included with a targeted irrigation potential of 29,010 hectares. Of it, work on 488 water bodies was completed and 25,980 hectares irrigation potential was either restored or created.
During the past five years, two major irrigation projects – Mukteshwaram LIS (Chinna Kaleshwaram) and Kaddam-Gudem LIS, along with three medium irrigation projects – Rudha (Channakha-Korata) barrage, Choutpally Hanmanth Reddy LIS and Modikuntavagu —were approved by the Technical Advisory Committee on Irrigation, Flood Control. The combined targeted irrigation potential of the five projects was about 45,000 hectares.
Under the Per Drop More Crop scheme being implemented by the department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, financial assistance was being given to farmers for the installation of micro irrigation implements. During the past five years (from 2018 to 2023), about 1.32 lakh hectares were covered in Telangana.
