CM to Review North Andhra Irrigation Projects
Plans to complete projects in 2 years
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu would visit North Andhra districts this month to review the progress of irrigation projects and ensure their completion.
This was stated here by water resources minister Nimmala Rama Naidu at a review meeting held at the secretariat with officials and agency representatives to assess the progress of the North Andhra irrigation projects.
The minister said no expenditure was made on irrigation projects in the region during the five years of the YSR Congress rule. He alleged that the projects initiated under the Telugu Desam government between 2014 and 2019, under the North Andhra Sujala Sravanthi programme, were stalled by the YSRC government.
"Now, however, the chief minister “is giving special attention to North Andhra irrigation projects and announced a plan to invest over `2,000 crore in the next two years to complete major projects in the region.”
Rama Naidu stated, “An action plan is being prepared to complete prominent projects such as the BRR Vamsadhara, Thotapalli, Vamsadhara-Nagavali link, Janjavathi Reservoir, Hiramandalam Lift, Nagavali-Champavati, Mahendra Tanaya, Tarakarama Teertha Sagar, and Madduvalasa reservoir.”
These nine projects, he said, have been identified as priority projects. Special focus would also be laid on other works like R & R (resettlement and rehabilitation). “Completion of these projects will bring an additional 1.24 lakh acres under new irrigation in North Andhra and stabilise irrigation of another 2.48 lakh acres. The focus is on providing more irrigation coverage at lower cost, benefiting drought-prone areas,” he said.
The water resources minister stressed that the state government was committed to repaying its “debt” to the people of North Andhra by revitalising the irrigation sector. While the previous YSRC administration “caused damage to this sector, efforts are under way to ensure irrigation water reaches the last acre under cultivation.”
The meeting was attended by M Venkateswara Rao, adviser to the water resources department, chief engineers, superintending engineers, executive engineers of the North Andhra projects, and agency representatives.
