Telangana Irrigation Day: State aims for green victory in water management

Telangana: As part of the ongoing 21-day Telangana State Formation celebrations, people across the state came together to commemorate Telangana Irrigation Day. This special occasion highlights the remarkable achievements in the field of water management and irrigation within the state.

The state minister of Finance and Health, T Harish Rao, attended the Bhumi Puja in Sangareddy District and laid the foundation stone for the Sangameshwara Upliftment Scheme project. On the occasion, Harish Rao said, “Once the Sangameshwara uplift scheme is completed, Sangareddy district will witness a remarkable transformation into green and fertile land.”

తెలంగాణ రాష్ట్ర అవతరణ ఉత్సవాల సందర్భంగా ఈరోజు రాష్ట్రవ్యాప్తంగా నిర్వహిస్తున్న సాగునీటి దినోత్సవం లో భాగంగా సంగారెడ్డి జిల్లాలో సంగమేశ్వర ఎత్తిపోతల పథకం ప్రాజెక్ట్ కు భూమి పూజ కార్యక్రమానికి ముఖ్యఅతిథిగా హాజరై శంకుస్థాపన చేసిన రాష్ట్ర ఆర్థిక ఆరోగ్య శాఖ మంత్రి @BRSHarish గారు. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/CF0pUtCjAM

— Office of Harish Rao (@HarishRaoOffice) June 7, 2023

On the occasion of Irrigation Day, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on his Twitter shared, “Telangana has undergone a significant transformation in its irrigation water management, turning it into a state of Sujala, Suphala, and Sasyasyamala. With the implementation of effective irrigation policies and the construction of large and medium-sized projects, the dream of providing irrigation to 1 crore 25 lakh acres of land in the state is swiftly becoming a reality.”

Telangana’s Water Transformation

The Kaleshwaram project, initiated on May 2, 2016, played a pivotal role in a water victory. The project, completed in a record time of three years, has surpassed all expectations by utilising over 400 TMC of water from the Godavari River, a substantial increase from the previous utilisation of 90 TMC. Furthermore, the Sriram Sagar project has achieved a historic milestone, as Godavari water now reaches the Kakatiya canal end lands.

Projects and Agricultural Expansion

In addition to these achievements, the Telangana government has prioritised the completion of projects on the Krishna River. Notably, Palamuru district has witnessed the completion of four projects, effectively irrigating over 8 lakh acres of land. Other projects such as Koilsagar, Kalwa Kurti upliftment scheme, Rajiv Bhima, Nettempadu, and various others have contributed to the irrigation of thousands of acres, promoting agricultural expansion across the state.

Agricultural Growth

Telangana’s focus on irrigation has resulted in a significant increase in cultivated areas. Over the years, the combined cultivation area during the Yasangi and monsoon seasons has risen from 1.31 crore acres in 2014-15 to 2.09 crore acres in 2022-23. The cultivation of horticultural crops has expanded by an additional 15-20 lakh acres annually, contributing to the state’s agricultural prosperity.

Financial Investments and Technological Innovations

The Telangana government has shown an unparalleled commitment to water management, investing Rs 1.69 lakh crores in irrigation projects from 2014 to 2023, compared to the expenditure of Rs 38,405.2 crores by the erstwhile government between 2004 and 2014. This substantial investment has led to a remarkable increase of 117% in the cultivated area, far surpassing the national average growth of 7.7% over 75 years. Additionally, the average rise in groundwater levels has been recorded at 4.14 meters over the past nine years.

The government has harnessed the power of technology in managing irrigation projects effectively. Special software and mobile apps have been developed to provide comprehensive information about pump houses, reservoirs, canals, ponds, rainfall details, river inflow, and groundwater conditions. These tools enable precise estimation of water inflow and release, as well as real-time updates on reservoir and pond capacity.

Mission Kakatiya

In line with its commitment to restoring water bodies, the Telangana government initiated Mission Kakatiya immediately after its formation. This extensive scheme aims to rejuvenate the ancient irrigation system of chain ponds built by the Kakatiya kings. To date, over 47,000 ponds have been restored, embankments strengthened, canals and culverts repaired, and silt removed. This comprehensive effort has significantly increased the water storage capacity of ponds across the state. The government has also undertaken the construction of 1,200 check dams, with the completion of 650 check dams in the first phase.