The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, has requested the Centre for a special sanction of Rs 800 crore under the National Mission on Micro Irrigation (NMMI) to take up micro irrigation in a big way in the State.

In a letter to the Union Minister for Agriculture, Mr Sharad Pawar, the Chief Minister said the existing allocation from NMMI to the ongoing AP Project would not be sufficient to address this special project for the SC/ST lands. Given the good track record of the State, he sought additional funds.

He stated while Rs 500 crore of the total project cost of Rs 2,100 crore can be adjusted from the existing APMIP project, the State would need additional funding of Rs 1,600 crore, of which Rs 800 crore can be met from the MGNREGS and the balance Rs 800 crore may be sanctioned as a Special MIP Project under NMMI.

The Chief Minister said “if the Government of India approves it, because of increase in yield, income would be Rs 3,800 crore per annum to SCs, STs through horticulture.”

He wrote: “Andhra Pradesh has taken up a massive project for the development of 30 lakh acres of degraded and fallow lands, assigned to the poor, under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). With a view to further improving the productivity of these lands, ‘Indira Jala Prabha’ has been launched for irrigating 10 lakh acres belonging to poorest of poor SC/ST households in conjunction with Nabard-RIDF assistance.

In order to ensure environmental sustainability, efficient use of water and to boost both agricultural production and productivity, it is essential that the groundwater exploited under the ‘Indira Jala Prabha’ is tied up with micro-irrigation (drip) systems. This intervention covering 4 lakh hectares at a total cost of Rs 2,100 crore is expected to bring substantial incremental incomes to the rural poor and 6 lakh households out of poverty.