Krishna waters set to reach long-neglected tail-end fields

Metro India News | Suryapet

For generations, it has been a painful paradox for thousands of farming families in Suryapet district. They lived within sight of the mighty Krishna River, yet their fields often remained thirsty. On Saturday, that story appeared a step closer to the long awaited transformation.

As hundreds of farmers gathered to greet Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on his birthday, the celebrations were marked not merely by bouquets and birthday wishes, but by something promising.

Standing amidst enthusiastic crowds, Uttam Kumar Reddy reviewed the progress of the Rs 394-crore Rajiv Gandhi Lift Irrigation Scheme, an ambitious project designed to carry Krishna waters to the tail-end ayacut areas that have suffered from chronic shortages for decades.

For many farmers who turned up to greet the Minister, the occasion was both personal and symbolic. They said the greatest birthday gift for the region would be the completion of a project that could finally bring assured irrigation to their lands.

The scheme aims to provide reliable water supply to nearly 14,000 acres under the Mukteshwarapuram Major and Ganapuram Major ayacuts, besides filling tanks and improving water security across several villages in Kodad, Huzurnagar, Chilukuru and neighbouring mandals.

Significant progress has already been made. Of the total 22-kilometre pressure-main, fabrication of 16 kilometres has been completed, while six kilometres have already been laid. Major civil works are advancing steadily and the remaining components are expected to gather pace in the coming weeks.

The project is expected to benefit villages including Kandibanda, Ramapur, Huzurnagar, Dondapadu, Ganapuram, Uchhipudi, Erravaram, Ramalakshmipuram, PK Banda, Kogarrayi and Palanagaram.

For farmers in these villages, the project represents far more than an engineering undertaking. It is a long-awaited assurance that water will finally reach the last fields in the irrigation chain — fields that have too often been left at the mercy of erratic rainfall and depleting groundwater.

Addressing farmers during the visit, Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring that every acre in the tail-end ayacut receives its rightful share of water. He emphasized that irrigation development must reach the most disadvantaged farmers and that no village should be denied the benefits of river waters simply because of its location at the end of the canal network.

The Minister also noted that while the Nagarjuna Sagar Project remains the irrigation lifeline, supplementary projects such as the Rajiv Gandhi Lift Irrigation Scheme are essential to bridge gaps and ensure equitable distribution of water.

Farmers pinned all their hopes on the giant pipeline gradually taking shape across the countryside.

For people of these Krishna river bank villages, the river flowing by is all set to become a dependable partner in their lives and livelihoods.