Rs 641 Crore for Neradi Barrage a Major Boost for Srikakulam
Officials said Atchannaidu conducted regular review meetings with the irrigation department during various stages of the project.
VISAKHAPATNAM: The Andhra Pradesh government’s sanction of Rs 641 crore for the long-pending Neradi Barrage across the Vamsadhara river is expected to strengthen irrigation and drinking water supply in Srikakulam district.
According to irrigation department officials, the barrage will provide assured irrigation to thousands of farmers, bring lakhs of acres under cultivation, improve groundwater levels, expand cultivation in drought-prone areas, strengthen the rural economy and help address drinking water scarcity.
Irrigation officials from the erstwhile Srikakulam district met agriculture minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu at his camp office in Nimmada on Saturday and felicitated him for his role in securing Cabinet approval and funding for the project.
The officials said the minister had pursued the project despite legal and inter-state issues that delayed its execution. They said he coordinated with the Union government to secure the required Gazette notification and subsequently obtained Cabinet approval for the Rs 641-crore allocation.
Officials said Atchannaidu conducted regular review meetings with the irrigation department during various stages of the project, including preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR), cost estimates, administrative approvals and Cabinet clearance.
They also acknowledged the role of Union civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu in coordinating with senior officials of the Union jal shakti ministry to address inter-state issues and facilitate the project's progress.
Vamsadhara superintending engineer G. Ramachandra Rao, irrigation superintending engineer P. Sudhakara Rao and other senior officials were present.
