An irrigation project was inaugurated at Pedavadlapudi village by the Andhra Pradesh education and information technology minister Nara Lokesh, marking the formal launch of a high level canal lift irrigation scheme completed at a cost of Rs 148.8 million (mn).

The minister activated the pumping system and unveiled a commemorative plaque at the site, and the initiative forms part of the state government’s wider drive to expand irrigation infrastructure and develop water resources in key farming belts.

The lift irrigation facility is equipped with four modern high capacity pumps designed to move around 250 cusecs of water and to deliver supply to multiple commands. The scheme has been configured to provide irrigation support to Mangalagiri, Tenali and Ponnuru constituencies and once fully operational it will cover nearly 25,344 acres of farmland.

Officials said the project had suffered delays earlier owing to fund constraints but was completed after the state government allocated resources and prioritised its completion. The minister indicated that the intervention was intended to boost crop productivity and to strengthen farmers’ incomes in the constituencies served by the lift irrigation scheme.

The inauguration attracted local leaders, party workers and a large gathering of farmers along with officials, including representatives of the Andhra Pradesh Padmashali Welfare and Development Corporation and members of the TTD board. Beneficiaries and officials expect the lift scheme to stabilise water supply, support cropping cycles and contribute to the broader resilience of agriculture in the Guntur area.