Karimnagar, Aug. 27: In an effort to expedite the ongoing development works in the vast Manthani division comprising several backward villages, which hitherto remained the citadels of the Naxal outfits, the district administration has laid focus on executing works including the soon-to-be launched lift irrigation scheme at Kaleshwaram in Mahadevpur mandal on a priority basis. The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, is likely to launch the lift irrigation scheme at Metpalli near Kaleshwaram in the next fortnight, sources said. The government has approved the proposed lift irrigation scheme at Metpalli near the temple town at an estimated cost of Rs 480 crore owing to the initiative of government whip and Manthani MLA D. Sridhar Babu. The irrigation project is likely to provide irrigation cover to about 40,000 acres of agriculture land spread in Mahadevpur, Kataram, Maha Muttaram and Malhar mandals in the Manthani division. The long-pending demand for the construction of a bridge across Godavari between Sironcha of Maharastra and Kaleshwaram is likely to come into focus during the proposed visit of the Chief Minister visit to the mandal, sources said. The government has already accorded administrative sanction to the Koya Cheruvu at Adavi Srirampur village, Gudepucheruvu at Chintakani, Vattivagu bund strengthening work and other minor irrigation projects in the Manthani division. The district administration has focused its attention on early completion of the ongoing projects in the division in an effort to ensure the benefits to the people living in the remote areas of the vast division. Meanwhile, collector S.K. Sulthania visited Kaleshwaram and other places in Mahadevpur mandal on Wednesday and reviewed the progress of the ongoing development programmes including the sanitation drive. Mahadevpur ZPTC member Tirupathi Reddy, mandal tahasildar Razak and others were present.