Providing irrigation water to tail-end farmers remains a priority: Uttam
The reservoir, located in Nalgonda district, reached near-full capacity, prompting the controlled release of water.
Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Adluri Laxman Kumar, along with local MLAs and senior irrigation officials, participated in the ceremonial opening after offering prayers to the Krishna river. Gates 13 and 14 were lifted first, followed by eight more. In total, 14 gates were raised to a height of 5 feet, releasing 78,060 cusecs of water. An additional 68,000 cusecs were later discharged.
Speaking to the media, Uttam described the Nagarjunasagar as a symbol of irrigation development and traced its history back to its foundation stone laid by Jawaharlal Nehru on December 10, 1955. The dam was inaugurated by Indira Gandhi in 1967, with the crest gates completed in 1974.
Uttam, who has represented the ayacut region six times as MLA and once as MP, said providing water to tail-end farmers remains a priority. 'I've seen farmers wait for water at the tail end. Today, I stand here not just as a minister, but as one among them,' he said.
The project also generates 700 MW of power through seven main plant units and an additional 60 MW through two units on the left canal, supported by a steady 30,000 cusecs flow over the last four days. Ahead of the Kharif season, the government released 3,000 cusecs through the left canal in advance of the formal schedule, a move Uttam described as part of a broader irrigation plan.
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