Government expediting Rayalaseema irrigation projects for water security for farmers, says Minister

Minister of Roads and Buildings B.C. Janardhan Reddy said that the government is working towards ensuring permanent water security for farmers by expediting the completion of irrigation projects.

As the YSRCP leaders visited the Gorakallu and Owk reservoirs in the district as part of their inspection of Rayalaseema irrigation projects, the Minister, along with Law Minister N. Md. Farooq and District Collector Rajakumari Ganiya, held a press conference in Nandyal town on Tuesday (August 4, 2026).

Mr. Janardhan Reddy announced that works to increase the water storage capacity of the Gorukallu Reservoir were being undertaken at a cost of ₹53 crore. Further, rapid progress is being made on works worth ₹54 crore to address leakage issues in the reservoir.

The Minister said that repairs to the Alaganuru Reservoir are being carried out on a much larger scale than proposed actually. “Works worth ₹610 crore are under way for the repair and development of various irrigation projects including Srisailam, Gorukallu, and Alaganuru. The government is according top priority to projects such as the Owk Balancing Reservoir, Handri-Neeva, Gandikota, and SRBC to effectively supply Krishna waters to the Rayalaseema region,” he said.

Mr. Janardhan Reddy said 60 tmc water was supplied to Gandikota and 7 tmc to SRBC during the 2024-25 year; for 2025-26, 6 tmc is being released to SRBC to ensure continued water supply for both agriculture and industries. “The government aims to complete 36 priority projects at a cost of ₹35,313 crore over the next three years, with 14 of these projects in the Rayalaseema region alone,” he said.

The Minister stated that various industries are coming up in the district, including a drone hub and an industrial hub near Gorukallu

Collector Rajakumari Ganiya said that while the full capacity of the Srisailam reservoir is 885 feet (215 tmc), the current water level stands at 860 feet (105 tmc) due to rains in the upstream areas. She noted that approximately 9 tmc of water is required to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply to both rural and urban areas throughout the year and in accordance with the State government guidelines, proactive measures such as filling balancing reservoirs are being taken to prevent any drinking water shortage.

Given the lack of sufficient irrigation water for paddy cultivation during the current Kharif season and the prevailing deficit rainfall conditions, the Collector advised farmers to cultivate alternative crops such as black gram, red gram, green gram, sorghum, foxtail millet, and castor. She urged all farmers to mandatorily register for crop insurance.