Taking initiatives to make Andhra Pradesh drought-free: Chandrababu Naidu

Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government is prioritising irrigation projects, making efforts for interlinking of rivers and introducing drip and sprinkler irrigation to make the state drought-free, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said on Monday.

Speaking in Legislative Assembly on water and irrigation issue, he said the state government would complete Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project in about four years.

"Polavaram has been given the status of national project by the Centre. As it may take about four years for its completion, the government took up the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme which linked the Godavari and Krishna rivers. The initial phase of the scheme has been completed in a record time," he added.

The crops in the state can be saved from cyclones, which hit every year, if sowing is done in June following inter-linking of rivers, Naidu said.

The inter-linking of rivers would help the parched region of Rayalaseema. As per priority, Handri-Neeva, Galeru-Nagari and others would be taken up for the benefit of Rayalaseema, he said.

The government would encourage farmers to set up 'farm ponds', named 'Panta Sanjeevani', to save the crops, the Chief Minister said.

The MLAs are now enabled to monitor rainfall and ground water table with help of modern technology so that they can lead efforts to safeguard farming, Naidu added.