Hyderabad: The Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project Wednesday entered a key phase with the 'wet run' of the first pump being successfully conducted.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who hailed the successful wet run, said the Kaleshwaram project (on Godavari river) would certainly usher in a "new life for the farmers. "

The chief minister observed that lifting water up to 105 metres high, with 124.4 megawatt capacity pumps, was a tough task, and "it is appreciable that the task could be executed with ease (as per expectations)."

"On Kaleshwaram lift irrigation first pumps successful wet run, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao expressed extreme happiness," a release from his office said.

"By utilizing this much heavy capacity pumps in the Asian continent, India stands in first place and the credit as first state goes to Telangana," it said.

Recalling the brain-storming and massive efforts put in by the state government, the chief minister said the project would certainly "bring in a new life for the farmers.

The foundation stone for the Kaleshwaram irrigation project, taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 80,500 crore, was laid on May 2, 2016 by Rao.

The objective is to supply irrigation water to one crore acres of farmland. (PTI)

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