Telangana to Fast-Track Devadula Lift Irrigation Project for Completion in One Year

The Telangana government has decided to place the long-pending Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme on a fast track to ensure its completion within one year, Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy stated in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Speaking after a review meeting on the progress of project works, the minister noted that special attention would be paid to Devadula and that all impediments to its completion would be resolved on a priority basis. He observed that it was unfortunate that the project, initiated nearly two decades ago, had remained incomplete due to neglect by previous administrations.

The Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme is designed to lift approximately 38 tmc ft of Godavari water to provide irrigation to nearly six lakh acres. The project covers command areas across Hanumakonda, Warangal, Karimnagar, Jangaon, Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri, Suryapet, Siddipet, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Mulugu, and Jayashankar Bhupalpally districts.

During the review, officials and public representatives examined the progress of the project component by component to identify bottlenecks stalling work. The discussions focused primarily on land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement, and forest-related clearances. Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Panchayat Raj Minister D. Seethakka, several Members of the Legislative Assembly, Members of Parliament representing the command areas, and senior officials took part in the deliberations.

Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy stated that the state government will immediately release required funds wherever land acquisition processes and award procedures have concluded. He added that the Chief Minister had assured a special package of ₹5,000 crore for ongoing irrigation projects across Telangana, of which about ₹2,500 crore has already been disbursed.

Additionally, the review resulted in a decision to maximize water pumping from the Godavari through the Devadula system. The minister instructed that all available pumping facilities must be operated optimally so that the maximum possible volume of water can be conveyed to reservoirs and command areas served by the project.

Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated that practical solutions were discussed to clear every remaining obstacle, emphasizing that the Chief Minister wants the project completed on a fast track so that the intended irrigation benefits reach farmers without further delay.