CM KCR directs the officials of the Water Resources Department to set up an Operation and Maintenance Division

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao directed the officials of the Water Resources Department to set up an Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Division for strengthening irrigation systems and streamline the constant flow of water from different irrigation projects to agriculture lands in the State. He emphasised the need to strengthen all the systems that carry water from barrages to distributory canals and rivers to the last ayacut area.

On the third day of a high level review meeting on the integration of Palamuru-Kalwakurthy-Jurala projects and expansion of the structures at Pragathi Bhavan here on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said highest priority was being given to irrigation sector in Telangana after State formation. 

He directed the officials to develop a mechanism to constantly monitor all the irrigation systems including canals, pumps, barrage gates, and reservoirs, among others. “Issues that arise during the operation of irrigation systems should be addressed immediately and water flow should be ensured. Repairs and maintenance of these irrigation systems should be carried out utilising the time between two crop seasons,” he said.

Chandrashekhar Rao said the Irrigation Department has become the lifeline of Telangana through supply of both irrigation and drinking water in the State. He said the importance of the department increased manifold after State formation evident from the fact that it is now cultivating over 52 acres during this Yasangi season alone. 

He pointed out that Telangana was ranked number one in paddy cultivation during this Yasangi season, whereas the neighbouring State which underestimated Telangana in agriculture sector, was in third position. “The importance of Irrigation Department and our engineers has increased and hence, every engineer should have more command over the irrigation systems within their jurisdiction,” he added.

Under these circumstances, the Chief Minister suggested division of work within the department in an efficient manner. He asked the officials to conduct meetings and



workshops more frequently to increase orientation. “The engineering officials of all cadres should be aware of the importance of Operations and Maintenance including scope, duties and responsibilities of the officials. Special officers should be assigned to the O&M division along with allocation of special funds for operation and maintenance of all the irrigation canals in an effective manner,” he said.

The Chief Engineers and Superintending Engineers have been asked to conduct workshops to train field level engineers who can take complete responsibility of irrigating lakhs of acres in the State. The Chief Minister wanted them to divide and carry out the O&M work on the basis of pumps and motors as well as projects, gates and canals.

He said he would also attend the training programmes personally soon. “As Telangana is at a higher altitude from the sea level, the importance of operation and maintenance of irrigation systems gains more significance for lifting the water and irrigating farm lands,” he added.

With agriculture given top priority, the State government has already made adequate funds available with the engineers at different levels within the irrigation department. Chandrashekhar Rao made it clear that farmers in the State should not face any problem with regard to irrigation water supply in future. He asserted that with the government spending crores of rupees on construction of irrigation projects, it was equally important to keep them alive with constant vigilance. He asked the officials to prepare a comprehensive charge of all the barrages, gates, pumps, canals and their length among other details.

The Chief Minister reiterated that the responsibilities of the irrigation sector were increasing every day with the strengthening of the irrigation network. He pointed out that the Sri Ram Sagar Project was irrigating about 16 lakh acres now and the Kaleshwaram project too was supplying water, while the irrigation network of Palamuru-Kalwakurthy-Jurala will be fully operationalised soon.