Agriculture and Irrigation

Agriculture remains the livelihood of a very large share of Telangana's people even though it contributes a smaller share of state income (Section 5). The principal crops are paddy (rice), which is the leading food crop, along with cotton, maize, sugarcane, mango and tobacco. Rice cultivation in particular has expanded sharply as irrigation has improved.

Because the plateau receives uncertain monsoon rainfall, irrigation is the single most important influence on farm output, and the state has invested heavily in it:

• Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP): A large multi-purpose lift-irrigation project on the Godavari river. Its central aim is to lift Godavari flood waters onto the plateau to make Telangana more drought-proof, supplying water for irrigation, drinking and industry across many districts.
• Mission Kakatiya: A programme to restore and rejuvenate minor-irrigation tanks and other small water-storage structures. By de-silting and repairing these traditional tanks, it aims to raise their storage capacity, recharge groundwater and help small and marginal farmers.

Alongside water infrastructure, the state runs two well-known farmer-support schemes:

• Rythu Bandhu (investment support): Direct investment assistance paid to eligible landholding farmers per acre for each cropping season, to help meet the up-front costs of seeds, fertiliser, pesticides and labour. It is paid for the kharif and rabi seasons (about ₹5,000 per acre per season at the scheme's design). The idea is to ease the burden of borrowing at the start of a crop.
• Rythu Bima (farmer life insurance): A group life-insurance scheme for farmers in the eligible age band, under which the state pays the premium and a lump sum (of the order of ₹5 lakh) is paid to the nominee if an enrolled farmer dies. It provides financial security to the farming family.

Together, the lift-irrigation projects, tank restoration and the two farmer schemes form the core of Telangana's agricultural strategy — expanding assured water while cushioning farmers against cost and risk.

| Irrigation approach | How it works | Example in Telangana |

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