Telangana Chief Minister revamped the state irrigation department to improve water sharing in the state

In a move to reform the existing Telangana’s Irrigation Department, Chief Minister K Chandra Shekar Rao renamed it as the Water Resource Department, by opening gates to decentralize and reorganize the department according to the state government priorities.

On Monday, in an extensive meeting at the Pragathi Bhavan, KCR talked about the need to manage the irrigation sector effectively in order to achieve the aim of irrigating 1.25crore acres in the state. He also discussed the draft proposals submitted by the officials revamp the existing department.

The state has directed the officials swiftly to prepare an action plan to come up with an effective system for water resource management which includes a supply of 4 TMC from Godavari River and 3 TMC from Krishna River to irrigate 1.25 lakh crore areas every day. Before implementing new reforms the Chief Minister want the team to conduct another workshop.

“The State government is constructing several major irrigation projects at great expense and efforts. Hence, the Water Resources Department should be fully prepared to supply irrigation water to 1.25 lakh crore acres in the State,” he said

Under the new reforms, the state will be divided into regional areas and reach regional center will have a Cheif Engineer as a head who will be responsible for the management of water resources in the area which includes irrigation projects, canals, ponds, irrigation tanks, lift irrigation schemes and check dams in the area.

KCR wanted the officials to prepare data of exact number of irrigation tanks in each regional center. He said these tanks should be filed on a priority basis with water from irrigation projects.

He also ordered the concerned authorities to prepare an operation and maintenance plan for all projects, tanks, reservoirs, and all other water bodies with the annual budget required.