Lok Sabha Question No. 914 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-21
Subject: Irrigation Projects in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Uttam Kumar Nalamada Reddy

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 914 ANSWERED ON 21.07.2022

## IRRIGATION PROJECTS IN TELANGANA AND ANDHRA PRADESH

## 914 SHRI UTTAM KUMAR REDDY NALAMADA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state: -

- (a) the names of the approved and not approved irrigation projects in Krishna and Godavari rivers in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as per the notification issued by the Ministry on 15th June, 2021;
- (b) the total expenditure incurred by the Government or its agencies such as banks, National Bank for Agriculture  and  Rural  Development,  Power  Finance  Corporation,  Rural  Electrification  Corporation etc. on each of the above projects;
- (c) the status of the ongoing works on each of the above projects;
- (d) the time by which the Government proposes to give approval to the pending projects;
- (e)  whether  the  Krishna  and  Godavari  River  Water  Management  Board  has  taken  over  the  above projects as envisaged in the notification issued by the Ministry and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether the Government has received any proposal from the Government of Telangana to declare any irrigation project as a national project and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) The  Central  Government, in exercise of powers conferred by sub-section 1 of section 87 of the Andhra  Pradesh  Reorganization  Act,  2014  (APRA,  2014),  has  issued  two  Gazette  Notifications  on 15.07.2021,  one  relating  to  Godavari  River  Management  Board  (GRMB)  and  the  other  relating  to Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) for administration, regulation, maintenance and operation of  projects  for  Godavari  and  Krishna  rivers,  respectively,  in  the  States  of  Andhra  Pradesh  and Telangana.

The  list  of  approved  and  unapproved  projects  as  per  the  notifications  dated  15.07.2021  is available at http://jalshakti-dowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Gazette\_Notification\_KRMB\_and\_GRMB\_07\_2021.pdf

(b) & (c) Water being a State subject, it is for the State Governments to take up planning, design and implementation of irrigation projects in their respective jurisdiction. Role of Government of India is limited to being catalytic, providing technical support and in some cases partial financial assistance in terms with the existing schemes under implementation. However, for major and medium inter-State irrigation projects, appraisal is undertaken by Central Water Commission (CWC) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. It is, therefore, for the States to maintain details regarding total expenditure incurred by the different agencies, as well as status of works for the ongoing projects.

(d) The  Notifications  dated  15.07.2021  mentioned  above  include  list  of  approved  and  unapproved projects  in  both  States.  Paragraph  2  of  the  Notifications  mentions  a  time-frame  of  six  months  for getting  ongoing and  completed  unapproved projects appraised and approved. Further, vide Notification  dated  1st  April,  2022,  the  above  time-frame  of  6  months  has  been  amended  to  1  year. However, completion of techno-economic appraisal, required for approval of the Advisory Committee on Irrigation, Flood Control and Multipurpose Projects (Advisory Committee) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti depends on the time taken by the project authorities for submitting compliance to the queries of the appraisal agencies.

(e) The  two  State  Governments  have  not  handed  over  the  jurisdiction  of  Krishna  basin  projects  as specified  in  Schedule  -  2  of  Notification  to  KRMB.  However,  the  Water  Resources  Department, Government  of  Andhra  Pradesh  vide  Government  Order  Ms.  No.  54  dated  14.10.2021  and  Energy Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh vide Government Order Ms. No. 17 dated 14.10.2021, have  issued  orders  for  handling  over  certain  components  of  Srisailam  project  and  Nagarjuna  Sagar project mentioned in Schedule-2 of the Notification under their control to KRMB simultaneously with the handing over of components under the control of Telangana. No Government order has been issued by Government of Telangana for handing over of the projects/ components under their control.

Also, the two State Governments have not handed over the jurisdiction of Godavari basin projects as specified in Schedule - 2 of Notification to GRMB.

(f) For inclusion of a project for funding under National Projects (NP) scheme of this Ministry, it is required  to  be  first  appraised  by  CWC  and  accepted  by  the  Advisory  Committee.  Thereafter, investment clearance is required to be obtained by the State Government. Subsequently, if the project meets the laid down norms for the NP scheme, it is required to be considered by the High Powered Steering  Committee  (HPSC)  set  up  for  the  purpose.  On  being  recommended  by  HPSC,  and  as  per availability  of  funds  etc.,  Government  of  India  may  approve  inclusion  of  a  project  under  the  NP scheme.

In February, 2016 as well as in December, 2018, the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Telangana requested Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  to  include  Kaleshwaram  Irrigation  Project  under  NP  scheme.  However,  in absence of investment clearance, the project is not eligible for inclusion under NP scheme.