Many new LI schemes announced

The State Government has announced several new lift irrigation schemes in the budget to further enhance the irrigation facilities, particularly to the areas neglected in that aspect all these years. To match the plans, the government has allocated ₹16,920 crore, an increase of over 53% compared to the allocation of ₹11,043 crore in 2020-21.

The allocation would be in addition to the borrowings from banks and other agencies though a special purpose vehicle set up for the purpose. Minister for Finance T. Harish Rao announced in the budget speech that detailed project reports (DPRs) have been prepared for the two lift irrigation schemes for Narayankhed and Zaheerabad constituencies, which remain neglected so far. He stated that Basaveshwara and Sangameshwara lift schemes would be taken up for the two areas, respectively. Further, he stated that DPRs were also prepared for Gopaladinne lift in Kollapur Constituency, Markandeya lift in Nagarkurnool Constituency and five lifts in Asifabad, Sirpur, Bellampalli, Chennur and Mancherial Constituencies, Illendhu lift in Illendhu Constituency and Pragadapalli lift in Bhadrachalam Constituency. The Minister stated that administrative sanctions would be given to the new schemes in due course.