Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will inaugurate the Seetharama Lift Irrigation Project across the Godavari river on August 15.
This was announced by Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday after a trial run of three crucial pump houses in Bhadradri Kothagudem district.
Uttam Kumar Reddy, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy were present during the trial run.
After launching the trial run of pump houses, the Ministers visited Wyra in Khammam district, where they inspected the arrangements for the public meeting scheduled for August 15, which will be addressed by the Chief Minister during the project's inauguration.
Addressing media persons, Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated the Congress government's commitment to providing irrigation to every acre under the Seetharama Project by August 2026.
He announced that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy would not only inaugurate the project on August 15 but also launch the Rs 2 lakh loan waiver scheme for farmers.
This initiative is expected to offer substantial relief to the farming community and reinforce the government's support for agricultural development.
The Irrigation Minister also highlighted that the Seetharama Project, which previous BRS government left incomplete, is now nearing completion under the Congress administration.
He emphasised the need to expedite construction works to ensure water reaches every acre, aligning with the government's commitment to agricultural development.
The Seetharama Lift Irrigation Project, now fully approved by the Godavari River Management Board, will receive 67 TMC of water from the Godavari river.
Uttam Kumar Reddy stressed that this allocation is crucial for ensuring water reaches every acre within the project's command area by the August 2026 deadline.
The project also includes renaming the Enkoor Link Canal as the Rajiv Canal, which will be instrumental in stabilising irrigation across the region.
The Irrigation Minister emphasised the need to expedite the construction of distributary canals and critical infrastructure components, such as the Yatalakunta and Zloorupadu tunnels, which are vital for bringing Godavari water to the Palair region.
Minister Reddy also addressed challenges related to railway crossings at specific locations, urging officials to collaborate with railway authorities to prevent delays in construction.
He also urged officials to focus on obtaining necessary clearances from the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
He highlighted the need for immediate land acquisition for packages 1 and 2, involving 3,000 acre, to meet the project's targets on time.
He noted that the completion of these works would stabilise irrigation for 3.4 lakh acres and bring an additional 2.6 lakh acres under cultivation.
A key focus was on the immediate acquisition of the remaining 1,658 acres of land required for the project's Packages 1 and 2.
"The Seetharama Lift Irrigation Project is expected to bring a significant transformation to the agricultural landscape of Telangana. The project will provide a reliable source of water for irrigation on nearly six lakh acres, which will help increase agricultural productivity and improve the livelihoods of farmers in the region. The Congress government is committed to ensuring the successful implementation of the project and is taking all necessary steps to achieve this goal," the Irrigation Minister said.
Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy criticised the previous BRS administration for its inefficiency and wasteful spending, pointing out that the project's cost was increased from Rs 2,400 crore to Rs 18,000 crore under the guise of redesigning.
(With inputs from IANS)
