NABARD sanctions loan for lift irrigation projects in AP

: The National Bank for

Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned a Rs 1,931-crore term loan for completion of the Chintalapudi lift irrigation scheme in West Godavari and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh.

The scheme covers 410 villages under 15 revenue mandals in West Godavari and 18 mandals in Krishna district, an official press release here said.

The project is envisaged for lifting of 53.50 tmc ft of floodwater from the river Godavari in three stages to provide irrigation to an ayacut of 4.80 lakh acres during the Kharif season.

The project also creates reservoir capacity of 14 tmc ft at Jalleru for providing drinking water facility to a population of 26 lakh in villages surrounding the project area.

The project is expected to be completed by March 2022, according to NABARD chief general manager (AP Region) S Selvaraj.