The Andhra Pradesh government will spend an estimated ₹632.07 crore to restore 789 defunct lift irrigation schemes and make them operational before the next kharif season, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed during a review meeting on Wednesday.
The repairs are expected to improve irrigation facilities for 7.4 lakh acres of land, officials informed the Chief Minister. Naidu instructed departments to complete the restoration work by June next year, inspect every scheme at field level, invite tenders immediately and begin repairs without delay.
The announcement places the focus on the operational condition of irrigation infrastructure rather than only on the construction of new projects. Lift irrigation schemes require power to move water from lower to higher elevations, making their performance dependent on the condition of pumps and related infrastructure as well as the availability of electricity.
Naidu proposed that the Jalaharathi Corporation be entrusted with continuous monitoring and maintenance of the schemes. He also asked officials to establish a dedicated division for the purpose and consider appointing a chief engineer or superintending engineer in every district to supervise the restoration programme.
Officials from the concerned departments were directed to coordinate their work so that repairs could be completed within the stated timeline. The Chief Minister also assured officials that funds would be released without delay for 36 irrigation projects identified as priorities by the state government. These projects are to be completed within the next two and a half years.
The review also examined the use of government irrigation land for renewable energy generation. Officials said 4,171 acres could be used to establish solar power plants with a combined generation capacity of 903.1 MW. Of the 5,565 acres available under the Water Resources Department, 4,061 acres have been identified for solar installations with a potential capacity of 877.3 MW.
In addition, 110 acres spread across 84 locations under the Irrigation Development Corporation could support solar projects with a combined capacity of 25.8 MW. Together, the figures presented at the meeting indicate a potential solar capacity of 903.1 MW from the identified land parcels under the two departments and the corporation.
Naidu asked officials to explore solar and hydropower generation opportunities over canals, in addition to using available land. He also directed them to prepare a plan for uninterrupted electricity supply to lift irrigation schemes during the agricultural season and examine the possibility of selling surplus power to the grid.
The Chief Minister said the integration of transport, power generation, solar energy and agriculture could create additional economic opportunities. He also suggested examining the establishment of a Water Regulatory Commission on the lines of the Electricity Regulatory Commission to regulate water use across irrigation, industry, power generation and transport.
Referring to major initiatives including the Ganga-Cauvery river-linking project, Naidu said such a regulatory mechanism could help determine water allocation among different sectors. The immediate next steps for the lift irrigation programme are field inspections, tendering and the start of repair works, with completion targeted by June next year.
