Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, said Telangana’s canal-based irrigation system that efficiently uses river water, would be replicated in Punjab. He appreciated the Telangana government’s work in efficiently use of water by taking up the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS). He has taken up this tour to explore opportunities to built one such project in Punjab state
Mann visited the Konda Pochamma Sagar, built as part of KLIS at Markook, where Special Chief Secretary (Irrigation) Rajat Kumar explained about the reservoir. He also briefed Mann on the KLIS, after which the Punjab Chief Minister examined the motors used for the lift irrigation project.
KCR built Kaleshwaram project with a vision in such a short span of time, all the other states are wondering how come a project as wonderful as Kaleshwaram be a reality, he commented.
He said that CM KCR a ‘great visionary leader’, he termed it a miracle to uplift water to such a great height of more than half a kilometer, he applauded CM KCR vision for the development of Telangana.He also said that Punjab has more than 14 lakhs tube-wells, lake-irrigation system needs to be developed in the state, he said.
He later visited a check-dam built across the Kudavelly Vagu near Erravally village in Markook and the Pandavula Cheruvu, which has been developed into a mini tank bund after restoration. Stating that they would always be happy to learn from good initiatives in any part of the world.
Punjab CM said the Telangana government had launched the Basthi Dawakhana concept after seeing a similar concept in New Delhi. Interacting with farmers at Pandavula Cheruvu, CM enquired how their lives had changed post the formation of Telangana. Pochaiah a farmer explained his position before and after Mission Kakatiya, to CM Mann. Pochaiah said that…his two acres of land piece were kept ideal and he left agriculture due to scarcity of water. After Mission Kakatiya, the ponds were rejuvenated and bunds were widened strengthened, the storage capacity increased and ground water has increased considerably. Through this abundant water was available in his borewell, the farmer spoke with CM confidently and said that he is cultivating one crop of paddy and three crops of vegetables which earns him more than 2 lakh rupees per year, farmer said that he never expected this transformation in his life.
The farmers replied that their income had increased considerably since they were getting irrigation water. The groundwater table too had improved considerably since the government built a number of reservoirs across the State, they told him.CM said …we in Punjab dig borewells such a deep for water, just as people dig for oil in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
He noted that farmers everywhere in the country were struggling , regularly staging protests because they could not get remunerative prices for their products. This was a sad reality considering 80 percent of the Indian population were still depending on agriculture. He said that they will coordinate with Telangana officials in future as well in implementing schemes for the development of the states.
CM Maan said…the states in India are like the flowers in a bouquet. We all must exchange our welfare ideas and development practices for the progress of the states and people of the whole country.Special Chief Secretary, Irrigation Department Rajat Kumar, ENC Hariram and other officials accompanied CM.
