Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said that the total expenditure incurred by Polavaram until December 31, 2017, was '12,915 crore and until now 53 per cent of the Polavaram project works are complete.
Mr Naidu hit a landmark with Monday’s “virtual review” of the Polavaram project, with as many as 50 “virtual reviews” already organised.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Naidu said that 91 per cent of the right main canal works and 60 per cent of the left main canal works are complete.
He also said that 39 percent of “head works” in the project and 66 per cent of “diaphragm works” are complete.
The Chief Minister also interacted with officials and directed them to complete all other projects that have been set deadlines at any cost by accelerating works.
Officials also explained the progress of the other 28 priority projects. The Pogonda Reservoir in West Godavari, the Pedapalem Lift Irrigation Scheme, the Chinasana Lift Irrigation Scheme, the Owk Tunnel, Gorakallu Balancing Reservoir and the Pulikanuma Lift Irrigation Scheme are complete and ready for inauguration.
At the end of this month, the Marala Reservoir, the Cherlopally Reservoir, the Madakasira Branch Canal, the Kandula Obul Reddy Gundlakamma Reservoir and the Pulakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme will also be ready for inauguration.
The main civil works of the Nellore Barrage and the Sangam Barrage, the SH 31 road work, the Vamsadhara Project Stage 2 Phase 2, the Adavipalli Reservoir and the interlinking of Vamsadhara and Nagavalli rivers, are projects that are scheduled to be completed by March 2018.
The Chief Minister said that many of them can be inaugurated during the Jala Samrakshana Udyama Spoorthi to be held from February 12 to June 7 this year, and a state-wide awareness programme will be conducted on water conservation.
The Chief Minister instructed them to present the water audits of villages on a monthly basis, along with the presentations of the health profiles, village infrastructure, and other reports. Officials presented alternative proposals for the interlinking of Godavari and Penna to the Chief Minister during the meeting about irrigation projects of the state.
The project will link the Godavari river to the Nagarjunasagar Right Canal (NSRC) in its first phase and will be able to discharge a maximum of 14,000 cusecs. 7,000 cusecs will be used for irrigating Krishna delta, and 7,000 cusecs will be lifted to NSRC.
The total land to be acquired for the canal is 1,778 acres and the total cost estimate of this phase of the project is Rs 4,617 crore. The entire project, which is divided into five phases will cost Rs 83,565 crore.
