Telangana's Dry Pitch: No New Irrigation Proposals Submitted in Three Years

With no new proposals from the Telangana government in three years, many of the state’s irrigation projects remain stagnant under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana. Despite the ambitious goals of PMKSY, including expanding assured irrigation, numerous efforts are unfinished, impacting Telangana's agricultural productivity and water use efficiency.

The Union Jal Shakti Minister, C R Patil, informed the Rajya Sabha that Telangana has not submitted any new irrigation projects for consideration under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) in the past three years. Existing projects remain unfinished, impeding the scheme's objectives.

Although 11 major irrigation projects from Telangana were previously included under PMKSY, and substantial central assistance has been allocated, progress has stalled, impacting over 4.24 lakh hectares of potential agricultural development.

The benefits under the larger PMKSY framework aim to expand water availability across farms to increase productivity, as evidenced by a 2.3-fold improvement in agriculture in areas with completed projects. However, the lack of new project proposals may hinder such progress.

(With inputs from agencies.)