KAKINADA: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said the Purushottapatnam Lift Irrigation Scheme would be completed within nine months on the lines of Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme. He laid stones (one for Purushottapatnam and another for Pithapuram) for the scheme at Pithapuram on Thursday evening.
Address the gathering, Mr Naidu instructed Irrigation minister Mr Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao, water resources secretary Mr Shashi Bhushan, ENC Mr Venkateswara Rao and contractor Mr Subbanna to complete the project within the prescribed time. The CM said he would pay his attention on the project.
He said the scheme would be constructed at a cost of Rs 1,581.22 crore in two phases. Of the amount, Rs 850 crore would be spent on the pumping equipment and these equipment can be taken, wherever there is requirement, after the completion of the project.
He said the Purushottapatnam Lift Irrigation Scheme would be linked to Polavaram left canal at one point and it would also be connected to Yeleru reservoir and the scheme would stabilise the command area and it would provide irrigation water in five constituencies such as Pithapuram, Prathipadu, Tuni, Jagga-mpet and Peddapuram, covering 1.20 lakh acres. He also said the Polava-ram project would be completed by 2019 and there was no need for any apprehensions on the matter.
He said all sorts of misleading propaganda was being carried out by the YSR Congress and other Opposition leaders that Polavaram project would not be completed, that’s why both Pattiseema and Purushottapatnam lift schemes had been taken up. The Chief Minister asserted that there was not even a grain of truth in such propaganda and it only showed up ignorance of YSRC leaders.
He said without understanding the issues invol-ved, the YSR Congress and Opposition parties are indulging in for the sake of criticism. The people of the state would understand their political motives in levelling such criticism.
“I know playing politics. I intelligently allowed the special package instead of special status. That’s why I could bring funds for Polavaram project. I made it clear that unless the Central government merges the seven mandals of Telangana, I can’t ass-ume charge as a Chief Mi-nister for residual Andhra Pradesh. The Central Gov-ernment supported and gave the mandals to AP. I made a way for Polavaram project,’’ the Chief Minister said.
