Minister for Water Resources Devineni Umaheswara Rao has said that Rs 2,893.29 crore has been spent under the Neeru Chettu Scheme for stabilising an ayacut of 3.6 lakh acres. In 2015-16 alone, Rs. 2,323 crore was spent to stabilise an ayacut of 2.8 lakh acres, he said.
At a press conference here on Monday, the Minister said Rs. 1,266.55 crore was spent for desilting of irrigation tanks and stabilising an ayacut of 66,189 acres by removing 18.20 crore cubic metres of silt.
Irrigation to 52,950 acres was stabilised by repairing 28,244 check dams and percolation tanks spending 213.57 crore.
As many as 1,14,882 farm ponds were constructed spending 209.22 crore under the scheme.
An ayacut of 15,445 acres was stabilised by creating (or repairing) 82,934 rain water harvesting structures.
Over 1,79,954 acres under 172 lift irrigation schemes was stabilised and an addition ayacut of 13,093 acres was created at an expenditure of Rs 322.55 crore under the Neeru Chettu Scheme, the Minister said.
