Irrigation Minister Harish Rao urges center to give AIBP funds through NABARD

Hyderabad, Feb 16: The Telangana Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao on Thursday urged the Centre to release funds through Nabard exempting the Central support from FRBM limits for the implementation of Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) projects in the country.

Speaking at the Irrigation Ministers meeting convened by Union Minister of Water Resources Nitin Gadkari for a review of the progress of the 99 AIBP projects being implemented in various States, Rao wanted the Centre to ensure timely release of funds for the programme to enable the States to realise the targets.

The Minister sought immediate release of Rs 1,000 crore promised to Telangana State under Command Area Development and Water Management Programme (CADWAM). Devadaula and Bhima projects which figure in the list of 11 AIBP projects in implementation in the State have dues of Rs 450 crore and Rs 35 crore, respectively, from the Centre.

Later, speaking to the media, the Minister said the Centre was asked to release funds for the implementation of the two projects on priority. He explained that two of the 11 AIBP projects had been completed in the State. Another six projects would be completed by June 2018. The remaining projects were scheduled to be completed by March, 2019.

He said Gadkari had agreed in principle to speed up the release of funds to ensure speedy completion of the AIBP projects. He had asked his officials in the Ministry to prepare a note on the issue so that he would be able to take it up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.