Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ordered the restoration of 789 defunct schemes to benefit 7.4 lakh acres of land.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday ordered the restoration of 789 non-functional lift irrigation schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 632.07 crore, according to reports by Telangana Today, The Hindu and Hindustan Times.
Reviewing irrigation projects at his camp office, Naidu instructed officials to finish all repair work by June next year to ensure the schemes are ready for the upcoming kharif season. The restoration is expected to improve irrigation for 7.4 lakh acres of land.
The Chief Minister suggested that the Jalaharathi Corporation handle continuous monitoring and maintenance through a new dedicated division. He also proposed appointing a Superintending Engineer or Chief Engineer in every district to oversee the works.
Officials informed Naidu that 4,171 acres of government irrigation land could be used for solar power plants with a total capacity of 903.1 MW. This includes 4,061 acres under the Water Resources Department and 110 acres under the Irrigation Development Corporation.
Naidu also recommended studying the creation of a Water Regulatory Commission, similar to the Electricity Regulatory Commission, to manage water use across industries, power, and agriculture. He further directed officials to find ways to sell surplus power to the grid.
The Chief Minister assured that funds would be provided promptly for 36 priority irrigation projects, which must be completed within the next two and a half years.
