Blueprint to be prepared to complete irrigation projects: Chandrababu Naidu

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Amaravati, Feb 26 (IANS) Asserting that the coalition government is committed to supplying water to all regions in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday announced that a blueprint to complete irrigation projects will be prepared soon.

Speaking on budget allocations to the irrigation sector in the Assembly session, the Chief Minister said that the state government is focusing on water security, which is essential to attract investments and industries.

He stressed the need for linking of rivers right from Vamsadhara to Penna to ensure water supply to all the regions in the state and stated that efforts are on to prepare necessary plans.

The Chief Minister said that Rs 20,000 crore was spent on the irrigation sector during the past 20 months. As a result, water was supplied to the Paramasamudram tank in Kuppam through the Handri Neeva canal.

Stating that all the irrigation projects were developed during the TDP regime, the Chief Minister said that Telugu Ganga, Galeru Nagari and Handri Neeva projects were launched during former chief minister NT Rama Rao’s regime to supply water to Rayalaseema. Through the Pattiseema lift irrigation, 100 TMC of water was supplied to Rayalaseema.

He assured the completion of the Veligonda project to benefit the Markapuram and Prakasam districts. He said that the Polavaram project will be completed before the Godavari pushkaram, and the Chintalapudi lift irrigation scheme will be completed to supply water to the upland areas of both Krishna and Eluru districts.

The Chief Minister said that at present, 793 tmc of water is available in various reservoirs in the state and is making efforts to supply water for paddy transplantations from May 15.

He claimed that Andhra Pradesh stands in first place in micro irrigation in the country. With the measures initiated by the state government towards water security, the groundwater levels increased and are available at 7.3 metres, resulting in savings in power consumption to the tune of Rs 91 crore.

Stating that there will be no loss to anyone with the linking of Polavaram and Nallamala Sagar, the Chief Minister said the surplus Godavari water, which is flowing into the sea, will be used, and both the Telugu states will benefit from it.

He said that he never objected to the Kaleshwaram project of Telangana. He made it clear that the coalition government is committed to supplying water to every acre in the state.

–IANS

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