IMPORTANCE OF THE TANKS IN THE STATE
Tanks have been the life line of Telangana owing to the state’s geographical positioning. The people of the state are highly dependent on the tanks which are spread across all the 10 districts. The topography and rainfall pattern in Telangana have made tank irrigation an ideal type of irrigation by storing and regulating water flow for agricultural use.
Construction of tanks in Telangana has been an age old activity since pre Satavahana era. During the Kakatiya era, the construction of tanks was carried out with utmost technical expertise. Tanks such as Ramappa, Pakhala, Laknavaram, Ghanapuram, Bayyaram which were built by Kakatiyas resemble seas and they greatly helped agriculture and overall development and prosperity of the Kakatiya kingdom.
This vision and legacy of Kakatiyas were carried forward by Qutubshahis and Asafjahis who ruled this region for centuries. Hundreds of big and small tanks were built in Telangana region during their rule. Government desires to uphold the vision of Kakatiyas which envisages revival and restoration of Minor Irrigation Sources in Telangana State.
Tank irrigation has huge bearing on generation of rural employment, poverty reduction and agricultural growth. The sheer size of command area under tank irrigation makes it a large center of agricultural production and provides a critical opportunity for commercial agriculture through market linkages.
THE OBJECTIVE OF MISSION KAKATIYA
The objective of Mission Kakatiya is to enhance the development of agriculture based income for small and marginal farmers, by accelerating the development of minor irrigation infrastructure, strengthening community based irrigation management and adopting a comprehensive programme for restoration of tanks.
INTRODUCTION
The Government has prioritized to take the restoration of minor irrigation tanks to restore them to store their original capacity and to effectively utilize 255 TMC of water allocated for Minor irrigation sector under Godavari & Krishna River basins.
- The minimum ayacut that can be irrigated with the above allocated water is about 20 lakh acres.
- But as per the statistics the ayacut now being irrigated is only about 9 to 10 lakh acres under Minor Irrigation tanks. Thus, there is a gap ayacut of about 10 lakh acres.
- The reasons for this gap ayacut under Minor Irrigation tanks are due to.
- 1) Loss of water storage capacity of tanks due to accumulation of silt in tank beds over a long period.
- 2) Due to dilapidated sluices, weirs and weak bunds
- 3) De to defunct of feeder channels.
- 4) Due to dilapidated condition of Irrigation canals.
A reconciliation survey was conducted to identify the exact number of all types of Minor irrigation sources in Telangana State. As persurvey 46,531 No of M.I, Small tanks, Percolation tanks, Private Kuntas and Small tanks (constructed by Forest Department) were identified for restoration.
The massive programme for Restoration of tanks is named as “ChinnaNeetiVanarulaPunaruddarana” and it is renamed as “Mission Kakatiya”.
The Govt is planned to restore 9,306 Tanks every year (20% of total tanks) with an eventual target of restoring all 46,531 tanks in 5 years, in a phased manner
The present programme of “MISSION KAKATIYA” is to bring this gap ayauct of 10 lakh acres in to command which requires no further allocation of water and also land acquisition.
This gap ayacut of 10 lakh acres under Minor Irrigation tanks can be brought to Irrigation.
- 1) By de-silting the tank beds to restore original water storage capacity of tanks.
- 2) By repairing dilapidated sluices, weirs etc.,
- 3) By strengthening the tank bunds to its original standards.
- 4) By repairing the feeder channels to standards for getting water freely into tanks.( Part of chain of tanks)
- 5) By taking up necessary works to supplement/filling Minor Irrigation tanks through canal networks of Major, medium and lift irrigation projects taken up on both Krishna and Godavari Rivers.
- 6) By re-sectioning of irrigation channelsto standards & Repairs to CM & CD works for smooth distribution of water to fields according to their requirement.
Advantages of Silt removal& Silt Application
- a) The water retention capacity of the soil will increase thereby decreasing the number of wettings.
- b) De-silting will improve ground water recharging capacity and increase the capacity of the tank there by increasing the availability of water even during the summer for irrigation & drinking water purposes.
- c) As per studies conducted, it is observed that due to de-silting the fluoride content in the ground water will be reduced considerably.
- d) Silt can be used as nutrient / fertilizer to the plant which generally reduces the usage of fertilizer.
- e) The yield of the crops like cotton and chillies is increased by 20 to 30%.
MAKING IT AS A PEOPLE’S PROGRAMME
It is programmed to publicize the importance of Chinna Neeti Vanarula Punaruddharana in the public through wide publicity to make them aware and participate in the massive programme designed by the Government. There is a necessity to motivate and encourage the end users for their participation explaining the Benefits of the tank to the public by various type of media. The respective departments are addressed accordingly to publicize the benefits of the programme and importance of people’s participation.
FUNDING PATTERN
As a part of Mission Kakatiya 1621 No of works costing Rs. 379.21 Crores are funded by NABARD – RIDF Tranche-XX with a loan assistance of Rs. 360.00 Crores under Mission Kakatiya – I. Later the NABARD has sanctioned a loan assistance of Rs. 317.036 Crores for 1562 works costing Rs. 375.57 Crores under NABARD – RIDF Tranche-XXI for the works covered under Mission Kakatiya Phase – I.
The works of Mission Kakatiya Phase – I are completed by 31.05.2017.
Government of India has agreed to sanction Restoration of tanks under RRR Phase – II scheme in XII Plan. As part of this 596 DPRs costing 475.86 Crores were submitted in 3 Batches to CWC after STAC meetings. Out of them, 182 water bodies costing 125.45 Crores and spreading in 5 districts were approved by Government of India and these works are in progress
Irrigation & CAD department
The Irrigation & CAD department is the chief implementing department. The works will be executed through the Superintending Engineer and the Executive Engineer of the concerned areas, supported by the field engineers i.e., Dy. Executive Engineers and the Assistant Executive Engineers, under overall supervision of the Chief Engineer, Minor Irrigation. The engineers at all the levels will have to be in constant touch with the officials of the line departments to have better coordination.
Agriculture Department
The tasks that are to be carried out by the Agriculture department are : In all tanks, samples of the silt should be collected to test its suitability for application in agriculture fields and wide publicity should be given to utilize tank bed silt by farmers. b) The farmers should be motivated by the department on the following;
- 1) Efficient use of available water through change in irrigation system and improved water management techniques.
- 2) Increase in productivity of farms through suitable cropping pattern and increased cropping intensity.
- 3) Balanced use of chemical fertilizers and judicious use of plant protection chemicals.
- 4) Reduction of cultivation cost through introduction of improved implements and equipment.
- 5) Introduction of high-tech agriculture to increase the farm returns.
Rural Development Department
The department should converge various other programmes being implemented, with the Mission Kakatiya and coordinate with other line departments whenever and wherever necessary.
Forest Department
The tasks that are to be carried out by the Forest department are
- • Effective utilization of tank foreshore areas in selected locations through afforestation.
- • Nursery raising and plantation wherever necessary.
- • Training for maintenance and cultural operations. IV)Planting Silver Oak and Toddy ( Eetha ) trees around the tank boundaries. These activities, apart from reducing silt inflow into the tank, are also expected to create an additional, sustainable income source for the tank community.
Fisheries Department
The department should take up the following activities which will result in increase in aquaculture.
- (i) Upgrading production practices through improved stocking.
- (ii) use of Improved feeding, management and harvesting techniques.
- (iii) Intensive fish and prawn cultivation.
Revenue Department
The Revenue Department officials will have to coordinate with the field Engineers in
- • Identifying the Shikam lands.
- • Determining/demarking the FTL of tank.
- • Identifying the government waste lands for dumping the unproductive soil.
- • Cooperating between Revenue and Irrigation depts for removing illegal constructions in tank bed .
Ground Water Department
The ground water department should regularly
- • Monitor the groundwater levels and quality of groundwater.
- • Supply list of over exploited villages to the district Superintending Engineers/Executive Engineers.
Information and Public Relations Department
i)Create awareness on the benefits of restoration of the tanks by using different types of media and organizing IEC activities like street plays, kalajathas, wall writings, pamphlets and involving rural folklore like Chindu, Voggukathalu etc.,
ii) Motivate the farmers to utilize the useful silt excavated out of the tanks in their agriculture fields at their cost, by explaining the benefits that come out of it.
iii) Organize essay and elocution competitions for the students on the topic “tanks and their restoration”, in coordination with the education department, at school, mandal and district levels and award prizes to the winners to encourage them in motivating their parents.
iv) Involve NCC, NSS, Guides and Scouts and Nehru YuvakKendras etc., in propagating the benefits of the programme.
v.) Involve Public Representatives and SHGs in the programme.