Telangana govt decides to restore 6,000 tanks under Mission Kakatiya

The TRS government has decided to restore 6,000 tanks under the fourth phase of Mission Kakatiya. As per the earlier plan, the irrigation department has decided to restore 20 per cent of total tanks in the state every year with the eventual target of restoring 46,531 tanks in five years in a phased manner. Till date, about 22,500 tanks have been revived in three phases and it was observed that there was an increase in the gross area irrigated under tank ayacut by 51.5% over the base year under Mission Kakatiya.

“After the completion of three phases, there has been a decrease of 19.2% in the gap ayacut. In 2013-14, the gap ayacut was 42.4% where as it is 23.2% in the year 2016-17,” as per a report published by NABARD. In the fourth phase that will begin by end of



March, it was proposed to take up formation of new minor irrigation tanks fed by the local rainwater flows and streams.

The state government has prioritised to take the restoration of minor irrigation tanks in order to store water in their original capacity and to effectively utilise 255 tmc water allocated for minor irrigation under the Godavari and Krishna basins. The finance department issued administrative sanction for 3,570 tanks in the districts. During the fourth phase, priority will be given to most backward districts, including Mahbubnagar, Pedapalli, Nagarkurnool, Mahbubabad, Warangal Rural and Karimnagar, to provide irrigation to 2.62 lakh acres at an estimated cost of Rs 1,500 crore. The finance department has sanctioned Rs 1,073 crore.