AMARAVATI: Refuting the allegations of a section of media on lift irrigation schemes, Irrigation Minister Ambati Rambabu said they have been spreading false information only for the vested interests of Opposition Chief Chandrababu Naidu.

Speaking to the media at the YSRCP central office here on Wednesday, the Minister said the reports that 250 lift irrigation schemes were not working due to lack of maintenance and lack of funds were not true. He said there are 1032 lift irrigation schemes in the state and the responsibility for their maintenance was given to the societies formed by the farmers of those ayacuts and some of the schemes were not functioning properly due to lack of leadership in these societies and slammed a vernacular publication for holding the present government responsible for it.

The Minister said the report has stated that Donekallu lift irrigation scheme was started in 1989 and closed in the same year and questioned how could possibly Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy be responsible for it. The Minister strongly condemned the allegations that the Ontimitta- Srirama Lift irrigation scheme has been of no use and said it is completely false and explained that water will be pumped from the Somasila Project into pond and water will be released for drinking and irrigation purposes from there through gravity and the motors would have been stopped as the pond is full.

The Minister said the state government has been committed to the welfare of the farmers and thus planning to give water for three crops by releasing them early. He said TDP leaders Naidu and Devineni Uma were responsible for the damage of the diaphragm wall and the state government is in discussions with CWC that there will be a conclusion to this problem in two to three months.

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