AP govt to provide irrigation water to 12 lakh acres

Hyderabad, Jan 15 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today said water for irrigation would be provided to 12 lakh acres additionally by next Sankranti festival in the state.

Speaking to newspersons here on the occasion of harvest festival, Dr Reddy said the government was taking all possible steps to increase the ayacut area in the state by completing the pending irrigation projects.

Announcing that the Dearness Allowance (DA) for government employees has been increased to 4.7 per cent, which would come into effect from July 2006, the Chief Minister said the government had released the amount to pay the arrears.

The state exchequer would incur Rs 40 crore on account of increased DA, he added.

UNI