Tummala Nageswara Rao | Photo Credit: Nagara Gopal
HYDERABAD
The State Government has decided to revise the estimated cost of the Sita Rama Lift Irrigation Scheme (SRLIS) to ₹19,325 crore from ₹13,058 crore and the revision would benefit 11 constituencies in three districts by creating irrigation potential of 3.29 lakh acres, besides stabilising the 3.45 lakh acres existing ayacut, Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao said.
He thanked Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for giving a go-ahead to revise the estimated cost of the project by about 48%. The project would create an irrigation facility to 3.29 lakh acres of new ayacut in 31 mandals of the 11 constituencies in Khammam, Bhadradri-Kothagudem and Mahabubabad districts.
The main canal of the SRLIS was completed for 104 km length and the revised cost would also enable modernisation of distributaries and field channels in the purview of the SRLIS ayacut. The Minister stated that Sattupalli Trunk (tunnel) and Palair link canal was completed till 60 km and work was in progress for the remaining 125 km and would be completed in a year.
Stating that tenders were called for eight distributaries and the process of land acquisition would be completed soon by the districts’ administration concerned, Mr. Nageswara Rao said that Grama Sabhas and enjoyment survey pertaining to the land acquisition was also in progress. “All the distributaries and field channels would be completed in two years time,” he added.
Plans were afoot to release at least 1,600 cusecs by June-end next to stabilise the 1.21 lakh acres ayacut under Nagarjunasagar Left Canal and benefiting another 10,000 acres by filling water in the minor irrigation tanks. The revised cost would also enable completion of the Yathalakunta tunnel in Package-9 to give water to 120 minor irrigation tanks in December.
Further, the revision of estimates had enabled planning taking up Julurupadu tunnel with the target to complete it by 2026-end.
Published – July 29, 2025 07:29 PM is
