HYDERABAD

The State Government has launched a drive to remove bottlenecks in land acquisition and rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) measures holding back the progress of ongoing irrigation projects by asking the District Collectors to release funds sanctioned already on a war-footing so that they could reach farmers and displaced families within a couple of days, wherever documentation is complete.

Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy gave instructions on Friday through a video conference held with the District Collectors, Chief Engineers and senior officials. He stated that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was firm on addressing issues coming in the way of land acquisition, R&R, forest payments and other related requirements, to speed up implementation of the irrigation projects.

The instructions were issued following the decision to release ₹3,000 crore for the purpose earlier this month, in addition to ₹2,000 crore already released. The Minister made it clear that the funds sanctioned must reach the displaced farmers at the earliest since crediting amounts to PD accounts of Collectors would not serve the purpose.

“The money must ultimately reach the farmer or the displaced family. The purpose for which the government has provided the funds, should be fulfilled,” he said and told the officials to eliminate every avoidable administrative gap between sanction and final payment.

The minister explained that the government had so far released ₹2,782 crore, while only about ₹566 crore of it had actually reached the beneficiaries, and another ₹989 crore was at various stages of disbursement. Another ₹199 crore was available with districts where payment processes were yet to commence.

It would translate into the fact that only about ₹1,200 crore could be pushed towards beneficiaries immediately or with minimal procedural action, Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy said. He instructed the District Collectors and irrigation officials to treat the payments as the top priority. He stated that another ₹455 crore related to cleared tokens was awaiting further processing.

Published - August 21, 2026 08:00 pm IST