Telangana on Tuesday reached a key milestone in the journey to achieve the goal of irrigating one crore acres of land with the water from Godavari river joining the Manjeera river.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who drew and implemented the plan to irrigate one crore acres, released water from Kondapochamma Sagar reservoir into Haldi Vaagu. The water will join Manjeera River to finally end up in the Nizam Sagar project.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, also released water from Kondapochamma Sagar into the Gajwel Canal to fill up 20 tanks in Siddipet district.

The two events marked the completion of a key component of the ambitious Kaleswaram project which has transformed irrigation in Telangana during last six years.

Water from Kaleswaram had already reached Mid Maner from Medigadda and flown into the Kondapochamma Sagar.

KCR reached Avusulapally in Vargal mandal in Siddipet district by a special bus and offered special pooja to Kaleswaram waters. He released water from the Konda Pochamma reservoir. The water from Sangareddy canal, through Haldi Vaagu, will reach the Nizam Sagar.

According to officials, it would take 10 days for the water to reach the Nizam Sagar project. The water will keep Haldi Vagu and Manjeera flowing even during mid-summer.

Later, the Chief Minister reached Pamulaparthy village in Markuk mandal, offered special Pooja and released Kaleswaram waters into Gajwel Canal. These waters will fill up 20 tanks such as Pamulaparthy, Pathuru, Chebarthi, Pragnapur, Gajwel, Kesaram, Bayyaram, Jaliyama etc.

The two works launched by the Chief Minister will ensure availability of water for irrigation during summer. Officials said several tanks in Siddipet and Medak districts will be filled with water, providing irrigation facility to 14,000 acres.

Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Finance Minister Harish Rao, Roads and Buildings Minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy, MPs, MLAs and senior officials attended the programmes.