The Mission Kakatiya programme in Telangana aims to revive abandoned water bodies and ponds, which will help provide irrigation facilities and address drinking water issues in villages. The irrigation system developed through a chain of ponds during the Kakatiya rule has become vital for Telangana’s geophysical conditions. Unfortunately, these ponds were almost destroyed during the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh.
Under this scheme, more than 47,000 ponds across the State have been restored, pond embankments strengthened, canals and culverts have been repaired, and silt has been removed. An amount of Rs 5,350 crore has been spent on reviving ponds, construction of extensive check dams, and rejuvenating streams. The mission has helped to stabilise lakhs of acres of ayacut, with around 15 lakh acre ayacut being irrigated under the revived ponds.
The government has taken up construction of 1,200 check dams at a cost of Rs.3,825 crore. The first phase of construction of 650 check dams has been completed, with works on other check dams in progress. Measures have been taken to divert water from large and medium-scale projects to ponds restored under Mission Kakatiya through canals and ensured that they are full even in the dry season.
