Cabinet approves Rs 38,500 crore project

Hyderabad, Nov 10 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet today sanctioned Rs 38,500-crore Pranahita-Chevela project for the benefit of the Telangana region.

Talking to newspersons here, Information Minister A Ramanarayana Reddy said the project would provide irrigation water to 16.40 lakh acre of land in the districts of Adilabad, Karimnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad and Rangareddy district, besides meeting industrial and domestic drinking water needs.

Mr Ramnarayana said the project, which was originally intended to irrigate 12.20 lakh acre, was expanded to cover 16.49 lakh acre.

The objective of the new water policy was to ensure comprehensive multi-sectoral planning, development and management of the state's water resources and effective, efficient, equitable and sustainable service deliveries for various water-uses and augment food production and livelihood security.

Priority would be accorded for provision of drinking water followed by irrigation, hydel power, ecology, agro-industries, non-agricultural industries, navigation and other uses.

UNI SM VA KVV SV CS1820