The Mission Kakatiya program in Telangana has revived abandoned water bodies and ponds, which has helped the rural areas and economy. The irrigation system developed through the chain of ponds during the Kakatiya rule is important for Telangana’s geophysical conditions, but the ponds were almost destroyed during the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh.
The State government launched Mission Kakatiya to revive ponds, restore pond embankments, repair canals and culverts, and remove silt. An amount of Rs 5,350 crore has been spent to revive ponds, construct extensive check dams, and rejuvenate streams. The mission has helped to stabilise lakhs of acres of ayacut, and around 15 lakh acre ayacut is 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, and other check dams are in progress. The government has also ensured that water is diverted from large and medium-scale projects to ponds restored under Mission Kakatiya through canals. This ensures that the ponds are full even in dry seasons.
