Three key irrigation projects for Telangana get Central nod

Hyderabad: The Union Jal Shakti Ministry authorised three key irrigation projects in Telangana on Tuesday, which was a significant milestone. The projects include the much anticipated Chanaka-Korata Barrage in the Adilabad district, the Choutpally Hanumanth Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme in the Nizamabad district, and the Mukteshwar (Chinna Kaleshwaram) Lift Irrigation Scheme (LIS) in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.

All three projects received approval during the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting in New Delhi, which was presided over by Pankaj Kumar, secretary of the Jal Shakti Ministry.

Irrigation authorities claim that in July of last year, the Central Administration published a gazette notification declaring that none of the three projects that the Telangana government had undertaken had received official sanction.

In response, the State government sent the Central Water Commission (CWC) and Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) a thorough project report in September of last year. As a result, the suggestions were reviewed and approved by all relevant CWC directorates.

Later, during the 13th board meeting, which was held in April of this year, the GRMB thoroughly discussed the proposal and then forwarded its recommendation to the CWC. The commission provided its recommendations to the TAC for the granting of techno-economic clearance after considering the objections put forth by Andhra Pradesh.

Telangana officials clarified a number of concerns raised by the committee during the TAC meeting on Tuesday. Pankaj Kumar, the chairman of the committee, nodded in agreement and announced that the minutes of the meeting would be made public soon.