Telangana Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka laid the foundation stone for the Rs 600-crore Jawahar Lift Irrigation Scheme at Vangaveedu village in Khammam district.

The new scheme aims to irrigate 30,000 acres in Madhira constituency, resolving a longstanding water routing issue. The Deputy CM also inspected the Sammakka Sarakka barrage and Devadula project sites, announcing phased release of Rs 100 crore for land acquisition and bills under the J Chokka Rao Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme.

Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy pegged the revised Devadula cost at Rs 18,500 crore, with Rs 4,331 crore urgently needed to clear dues and complete pending works. With respect to Polavaram–Banakacherla interlinking project in Andhra Pradesh,he demanded lowering the Polavaram dam height to protect two lakh acres of tribal land.