The Andhra Pradesh government has prepared a comprehensive action plan involving an outlay of Rs 15,300 crore for execution of micro irrigation systems under the 31 lift irrigation projects in the state.
The Water Resources Development Corporation will be the nodal agency for the execution of the projects aimed at increasing water use efficiency in the agricultural sector.
This will be funded through a Rs 10,000-crore loan from the Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA), Rs 3,260-crore subsidy from the Centre and the state government's share of Rs 2,040 crore. The state government held preliminary discussions with JICA, which has agreed to give the loan at a nominal interest rate of 1.3 per cent, according to an official press release.
Tenders for the projects, initially for an extent of 250,000 acres, will be finalised by September. By 2014, it has been targeted to cover the entire area of 6.2 million acres, which would be irrigated by the 31 lift irrigation projects. The implementing agencies will maintain the micro irrigation systems for a period of five years.
Chief minister, YS Rajasekhara Reddy, approved the action plan at a review meeting of the irrigation projects here on Thursday.
