Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Minister D Umamaheswara Rao today said Rs 295 crore has been allocated for modernisation works of Yeleswaram irrigation project in the district.
The minister said at present there is 6.4 TMC water against its 24 TMC level in the dam out of which 3 TMC will be released into 32 acres of land which is under the project limits, while remaining water will be kept for steel plant and storage purpose.
A total ofRs 135 crore has been earmarked for first phase of works and remaining amount will be utilised for second phase, he said.
In addition to 53,000 acres, another 14,600 acres will get water after completion of the modernisation works, he added.
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The TPCC President, later in the afternoon, led a
delegation of party leaders to express solidarity with the farmers of Vemula Ghat in Medak district who are protesting for over two months against Mallanna Sagar reservoir.
Addressing a function 'Sanghibhavam Yatra' (Solidarity Meet) organised by the Congress, Reddy lashed out at the TRS Government, saying that it was taking a "unilateral" decision on the project ignoring opposition by land owners and local farmers.
Reddy said the previous Congress government had started the Pranahita-Chevella works to irrigate 16.40 lakh acres of land with an estimated cost of Rs 38,000 crore.
However, the present TRS government has raised the project cost to Rs 83,000 crore without any significant increase in the ayacut (area served by an irrigation scheme), he said, adding this would put a huge burden on the state exchequer.
