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Jala Yagnam Andhra Pradesh irrigation programme Photo: Dipinder Rainu · Pexels License · source ↗

Jala Yagnam — Andhra Pradesh major and medium irrigation programme

Jalayagnam (literally "water sacrifice") is the umbrella state programme launched by the undivided Andhra Pradesh government in 2004-05 to fast-track the completion of major, medium and lift irrigation projects on the Godavari and Krishna basins, with explicit allocations to drought-prone Rayalaseema (Anantapur, Kurnool, YSR Kadapa, Chittoor). It bundled 86-odd schemes into a single political-and-financial vehicle so that long-pending dams, canals and lift schemes could be completed within a notional 5-7 year window.

Scope and launch

Jalayagnam was announced in May 2004 with an initial outlay of about Rs 46,000 crore (later revised upward) and a target to bring an additional ~ 97 lakh acres under assured irrigation over a decade. Major included projects were Pranahita-Chevella (now in Telangana as Kaleshwaram), Polavaram, Galeru-Nagari Sujala Sravanthi, Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS), Telugu Ganga, Veligonda, SRSP Flood Flow Canal and the Pulivendula branch canal cluster. Post 2014 bifurcation the projects were divided between AP and Telangana, but in the residuary AP the Jalayagnam brand continues to describe Handri-Neeva, Galeru-Nagari, Veligonda and Polavaram.

How it operates

Jalayagnam projects are funded primarily through the state budget and external borrowings (NABARD-RIDF, World Bank, JICA) and implemented by AP Water Resources Department, AP State Irrigation Development Corporation (APSIDC) and the Polavaram Project Authority. Civil works are awarded to large contractors under EPC contracts. Field-level water delivery — including canal-side micro-irrigation and pumped distributaries — is then operated by the Irrigation Department in partnership with Water User Associations (WUAs) under the AP Farmers' Management of Irrigation Systems Act, 1997.

What it means for farmers in Rayalaseema

Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi is the flagship Jalayagnam scheme for Anantapur and Kadapa, designed to lift up to 40 TMC of Krishna flood water from Srisailam reservoir and supply it through a 565 km main canal to drought-prone tracts in four districts. Once stabilised, HNSS provides a critical supplemental irrigation source for groundnut, mulberry, mango and horticultural crops in the southern half of Anantapur. The Galeru-Nagari Sujala Sravanthi (GNSS) project complements HNSS by carrying additional Krishna and Penna water to YSR Kadapa and Chittoor. Together with APMIP drip subsidy, Jalayagnam canal water has reshaped the dry-rainfed landscape of southern Rayalaseema into pockets of assured-irrigation horticulture.

Limitations

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and Lokayukta have repeatedly flagged cost overruns, design changes, contractor disputes and delayed land acquisition as the main reasons most Jalayagnam projects ran 50-150% over budget and well past their original deadlines. Several projects (Veligonda, GNSS phase II) remain partially operational a decade after notional commissioning. Distributary networks lag the main canal so on-paper command areas exceed actually-served farms.

See also: APMIP, PMKSY, Anantapur district profile, Rythu Bandhu / Rythu Bharosa.

Sources

  1. Jalayagnam projects. Government of Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Department.
  2. Performance audit of Jalayagnam. Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
  3. Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi project. AP State Irrigation Development Corporation.