Govt. plans to bring Devadula-SRSP water to Suryapet district: Uttam Kumar Reddy

HYDERABAD

The State government has prepared proposals to supply water from J. Chokka Rao Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme (DLIS) and Sriramsagar Project (SRSP) to Suryapet district, particularly Tungaturthy constituency, with an estimated cost of ₹1,000 crore, Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy announced at Suryapet on Monday.

Speaking at the district-level extended meeting of the Congress to gather feedback from party workers on the appointment of new president for the District Congress Committee (DCC), the Minister said the Congress government was working with unwavering resolve to streamline the supply of SRSP water to Suryapet district.

He noted that the reservoir’s capacity, which was originally 112 tmc ft, had dropped to 80 tmc ft due to siltation, affecting water supply in the tail-end areas. He said the government would initiate de-silting works in SRSP and would repair damaged canals and lining to restore full capacity and uninterrupted water flow.

Crediting former Minister and Congress leader late Ramreddy Damodar Reddy for bringing SRSP Phase-2 water to the district, he recalled that the Congress had led several agitations under his leadership, including a ‘raktharpanam‘ protest, demanding SRSP water to the area. To honour the late leader, the government had decided to name SRSP Phase-2 after Damodar Reddy, Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy stated.

On the agriculture front, he said the State was set to achieve a historic paddy production of 148.3 lakh tonnes this Kharif season. The Minister said the government was prepared to procure 80 lakh tonnes at an estimated cost of ₹24,000 crore.

Later, at a review meeting held here, Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the government was committed to complete DLIS to make North Telangana a granary of agricultural produce. Minister for Panchayat Raj D. Seethakka, MP P. Balaram Naik, MLAs K.R. Nagaraj, M. Yashaswini Reddy, P. Rajeshwar Reddy and authorities of the Irrigation department attended the meeting.

The Irrigation Minister stated that out of 5.57 lakh acres irrigation planned under DLIS in Warangal, Hanmakonda, Karimnagar, Jayashankar-Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Jangaon, Bhongir-Yadadri, Suryapet and Siddipet districts, water was already being given to 3.17 lakh acres. Of the revised cost of ₹18,500 crore, about ₹14,270 crore was already spent.

On the progress of works, he said 1,663 km length of canals were already excavated out of 2,430 km and 670 km length of pipelines were laid out of 703 km. Lining of canals was also completed for 800 km.