Q.Discuss the tank irrigation system in Telangana and 'Mission Kakatiya' programme in brief.

Tank irrigation, a centuries-old system from the Kakatiya era, stores monsoon rainwater in tanks to irrigate Telangana's dry, rocky land. Many tanks had silted up and decayed, so the state launched Mission Kakatiya (2014-15) to desilt and restore minor irrigation tanks, improve storage and recharge groundwater.

Tank irrigation system in Telangana

1. Telangana lies on hard rock with uneven rainfall, so surface storage in tanks is the natural and traditional irrigation method.
2. A large network of major and minor tanks (cheruvulu), many built during the Kakatiya dynasty, store rainwater for irrigation, drinking and groundwater recharge.
3. Over time, silting, breaches and poor maintenance reduced their capacity, so tank-irrigated area fell and farmers shifted to borewells.

Mission Kakatiya

1. Launch: Started in 2014-15 after state formation, named after the Kakatiya rulers who built the tanks.
2. Aim: To restore and strengthen minor irrigation tanks (those with an ayacut up to about 500 acres) in a phased manner. …