Kaleshwaram project to get additional power from July: KCR

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Thursday directed the officers to ensure supplying the required additional power for lifting water from Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project from July.

KCR will pay visits to Ramagundam and Kaleshwaram on May 18 and 19 respectively. During his visit in Ramagundam, he would inspect the 1600 MW NTPC power plant which is under construction, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office read.

In the following day, the Chief Minister will visit Kaleshwaram irrigation project work at Medigadda and Kannepally.

KCR held a review meeting on the supply of power for the lifting of water from Kaleshwaram Project at Pragathi Bhawan here.

The Chief Minister said that mobilisation of the required additional power supply should be ensured round the clock when there would be full flow of water in Godavari river.

KCR said that by lifting water from 540 to 600 TMC in a year, the government aims at providing water for 45 lakhs of acres.

"The Chief Minister assured that the power utilized for lift irrigation schemes would be funded by the government. Accordingly, for the power orgsations, the government gives it a special grant. The Chief Minister suggested to explore the possibilities of producing hydel power through lift irrigation schemes," the statement said.

"The construction activity required to lift 2 TMC of water from Godavari through Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project is almost nearing completion. The wet trial run of the pumps was successful. From July-end of this year, the water will have to be lifted. This requires 3,800 MW of additional power," it added.