Development of the minor irrigation sector was one of the priorities of the Government of Andhra Pradesh with a view to optimally utilizing surface water. In keeping with this commitment, Command Area Development Agency (CADA) in the Minor Irrigation Department sponsored a study by National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD). The objective of the study was to indicate the existing status of minor Panchayati Raj bodies brought under the ambit of the Minor Irrigation Department. The task was to study 62,000 tanks spread over 22 districts in the state. For this purpose, NIRD partnered with Poverty Learning Foundation (PLF).
The study was carried out across 10 districts of combined Andhra Pradesh, viz East Godavari, Krishna, Kurnool, Medak, Nalgonda, Prakasam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Warangal and West Godavari. The study, besides eliciting information about the existing status of various components of the tanks, also dwelled on technical parameters pertaining to the tanks. The district reports describe the status of the tanks in terms of their various features. Analysis of the disaggregated data with reference to the ayacut size of the tanks was carried out to understand how larger-sized tanks are differentiated from the smaller sized ones in relation to select components/features of the tank.