Chittoor district boosts water storage with cleaning works ahead of monsoon

Chittoor District Collector Sumit Kumar on Thursday said the administration had stepped up feeder channel cleaning works for nearly 3,100 tanks across the district to improve water storage ahead of the monsoon season.

Speaking at the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting held at the Collectorate here, the Collector said around 1,200 tanks had filled below 70% capacity last year despite good rainfall, forcing the district administration to focus on desilting and restoration of feeder channels to improve storage levels this year.

The Collector said permissions had already been granted for material-based cleaning works and that payments for labour and materials were being processed. He added that BT roads, CC roads, and tank development works would also pick up pace in the coming weeks as departments moved to clear pending works before the rainy season.

Chittoor MP Daggumalla Prasada Rao directed officials to ensure that welfare schemes reached eligible beneficiaries without delay and asked departments to maintain transparency in fund utilisation and implementation. He also called for austerity measures in view of the current economic situation and stressed the need for awareness programmes to help farmers and rural communities make better use of welfare schemes.

Officials at the meeting informed the committee that bills worth nearly ₹18 crore linked to development works were still pending.

Under the Prime Minister Adarsh Gram Yojana, 66 SC villages were selected in the first phase, with 437 works sanctioned across the district. Authorities said 342 works had already been completed at a cost of around ₹5 crore, while 95 other works were at different stages of execution.