CM KCR’s foresight coupled with redesigning and re-engineering of irrigation projects has done wonders for Telangana’s irrigation. As the Telangana statehood movement was fought on the premise of ‘Neellu – Nidhulu – Niyaamakaalu’, right from day one, the Telangana government focused on making the most of the available water resources. The state adopted a multi-pronged approach to strengthen the irrigation system and increase the irrigation potential in Telangana.
CM KCR mainly emphasized three things – speedy completion of irrigation projects under construction, redesigning and re-engineering irrigation projects, and formulating new lift irrigation projects. In addition, programmes such as Mission Kakatiya were taken up for the restoration of water bodies and tanks.
Irrigation has been one of the top priority sectors of the KCR government and the result is a remarkable increase in the Gross Irrigated Area (GIA). GIA jumped by 117% from 62.48 lakh acres in 2014-15 to 1.35 crore lakh acres in 2021-22. In 75 years after India’s independence, the irrigated area has increased by a meagre 7.7% in the country but in just 9 years of Telangana, the irrigated area in Telangana increased by 117%. This speaks volumes about the vision and commitment of CM KCR to change the face of Telangana’s irrigation sector.
Kaleshwaram Project – the world’s largest lift irrigation project
Kaleshwaram Project, envisioned under the guidance of CM KCR, is the lifeline water project for Telangana farmers. This engineering marvel envisages lifting water from a height of 100m to 600m using a network of barrages, pump houses, reservoirs and distributary canals.
The project aims to irrigate around 45 lakh acres which cover 31 constituencies in 13 districts. This complex network of 3 barrages, 15 reservoirs, 21 pump houses, 19 substations, a 1531 km gravity canal, and 203 km tunnels is a modern-day wonder in the irrigation sector. In addition to irrigation water, Kaleshwaram also caters to drinking water needs and industrial usage. The project has won many awards and global laurels.
Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme
The project was planned to completely utilize Telangana’s share in the Krishna River. This project caters to Nagarkurnool, Mahabubnagar, Narayanpet, Vikarabad, Rangareddy, and Nalgonda districts and also to Hyderabad city. Additionally, projects such as the Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project, Devadula, Kalwakurthy, Beema, Nettempadu, etc., and the construction of new check dams have significantly improved water storage for purposes and increased the groundwater level.
Once parched lands in Telangana, now turned into lush green fields, ushering in revolutions in agriculture and allied sectors and reaping a bumper harvest of paddy. Soon, the works of all the projects under construction will be completed and the face of Telangana’s irrigation sector will be transformed forever with the potential to irrigate two crore acres of land.
