By: V Rishi Kumar
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday requested the Centre to extend financial assistance of Rs. 5,000 crore for the Mission Kakatiya programme.
The ambitious programme is being implemented for restoration of minor irrigation tanks, thereby ensure water conservation and improve groundwater table.
The Chief Minister, in a letter addressed to Arun Jaitley, Union Finance Minister, sought financial assistance for the programme over the next three years. Launched last year, the Mission Kakatiya programme has larger goal of restoration of over 46,500 minor irrigation tanks and thereby revive chain of connected water bodies introduced by the Kakatiya dynasty. The aim is to harness the rain water.
Thus far, more than 8,000 tanks have been taken up for restoration, by strengthening the bunds, revival of feeder channels, and develop other infrastructure. The State proposes to take up 8,700 more tanks this year.
According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, in his letter to the Union Finance Minister, Rao mentioned about the Niti Aayog recommendation for financial assistance to the programme and highlighted the provisions in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act for sanction of a Special Development Package for backward districts in Telangana.
The Chief Minister mentioned about the State seeking a special package of Rs. 30,571 crore for the implementation of Mission Kakatiya and Mission Bhagiratha programmes.
Mentioning about the importance of the Mission Kakatiya, Rao requested the Centre to extend Rs. 5,000 crore financial support for Mission Kakatiya as this comes under the Union Water Resources Ministry larger objective of water conservation and improving the groundwater table.
Source: The Hindu