Speed up irrigation project works: CM Chandrababu Naidu

The CM will conduct a review meeting at Gundl-akamma Project site to review its progress along with that of Veligodna Project works on April 25 to thrash out solutions instantly for timely completion of projects.

During his visit to Veligonda Project, Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy warned that he would mount pressure on the government to complete all irrigation projects, including Veligonda Project, on time. He blamed Mr Naidu for neglecting Veligonda Project and Gundlakamma Project, initiated by the late Chief Minister

Dr Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy, by not allocating sufficient funds to those in the recent state budget.

Irrigation minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao during his recent visit to Veligonda and Gundla-kamma Projects and dir-ected the officials to hasten pace of works. He assured that the government would complete the Veligonda Project's first phase within a year.

Similarly, it would release Gundlakamma Project water to irrigate 28,000 acres for kharif. At least Rs 2, 300 crore is required for the Veligonda Project works.

The government so far has allotted Rs.150 crore in the recent state budget. Due to non-payment of bills, the contractor has stop-ped project works. Both tunnel works of Veligonda Project remains halted for the last six months.

The project requires necessary permissions for environmental clearance from the Centre for which the state government is trying hard. A high level committee constituted by the government has already visited the district and conducted a meeting with officials. The committee assured that it would remove bottlenecks to ensure completion of project works.

Irrigation projects chief engineer M. Veera Raju said, “We will speed up the project works and take steps to complete works within the stipulated time.”