Bhadradri Kothagudem, July 16 : Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has reiterated the state government’s commitment to maximizing the utilization of the Godavari River water to supply irrigation to farmers across Telangana.
On Thursday in erstwhile Khammam district, the Deputy Chief Minister, along with the Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, conducted a field-level inspection of the Sitarama Lift Irrigation Scheme and the Sitammasagar Multi-Purpose Project. Following the inspection, they chaired a high-level review meeting to expedite the balance works.
Speaking to media persons, Vikramarka highlighted that the government is moving forward with a comprehensive action plan keeping climate change and future water requirements in mind. He recalled the recent operational success of the Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme, where the full capacity deployment of pumps at the Sammakka Barrage filled 22 regional reservoirs across 12 districts and 17 assembly constituencies.
The Deputy Chief Minister noted that the Sitarama project traces its roots back to the former Chief Minister Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s tenure, when the Rajiv Sagar (Dummugudem) and Indira Sagar lift irrigation schemes were envisioned to irrigate four lakh acres.
Criticizing the previous administration, Vikramarka stated that over Rs.2,000 crore had been spent on these projects prior to the state’s bifurcation, and they could have been completed with an additional Rs.1,505 crore. However, the re-designing of the project by the previous BRS government, which incorporated the Sitammasagar Barrage, drastically inflated the cost, imposing a massive financial burden on the state exchequer.
Keywords: Bhatti Vikramarka, Sitarama Lift Irrigation, Sitammasagar Project, Godavari River, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Telangana irrigation, water resources, Rajiv Sagar
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