Rs 13,000 cr for irrigation: Minister

Tirupati, May 10 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah today said the state government had allocated Rs 13,000 crore towards irrigation in this financial year.

After reviewing the on-going projects in the Rayalaseema region with the officials of Irrigation Department and Districts administration here, he told reporters that the government was taking measures to irrigate 35 lakh acres in the next three years.

All the irrigation projects would be completed as scheduled.

Stating that Telugu Ganga project would be over by 2008, he said the second phase of works on the Galleru-Nagari and Handri-Niva projects and the modernisation works for the Thungabadra and Penna would be taken up shortly.

Minor irrigation works would be taken up through assistance from World Bank, Prime Minister's Special Fund and NRIs besides state budget allocation.

UNI