AMARAVATHI: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu emphasized the State government’s commitment to providing irrigation water to every acre of land, despite financial constraints. During a review meeting on irrigation at the State Assembly on Wednesday, Naidu reaffirmed the government’s determination to pursue the interlinking of rivers in Andhra Pradesh as a priority. He stressed that interlinking rivers would ensure that the water currently flowing into the sea could be diverted to irrigate farmlands.
Naidu pointed out that the previous TDP government’s success in interlinking the Godavari and Krishna rivers through the Pattiseema project, which provided irrigation water to thousands of acres, would be expanded. The current focus is on connecting the Godavari, Krishna, and Pennar rivers to further enhance the irrigation network in the state. He highlighted a plan formulated during the earlier TDP tenure to bring Godavari water to Rayalaseema, emphasizing the need to implement this initiative.
During the meeting, officials from the Irrigation Department updated Naidu on the ongoing Polavaram project rehabilitation efforts. They informed him that 18,925 houses still need to be constructed for displaced families, and there are outstanding bills totaling Rs 155 crore for contractors involved in the project. Naidu acknowledged these issues and, at the request of the officials, agreed to release Rs 2,600 crore for the rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) works.
Additionally, the meeting also touched on the state’s proposed new water policy. Minister for Water Resources, Nimmala Rama Naidu, was present during the discussions. The focus remains on improving the state’s irrigation infrastructure while ensuring the welfare of displaced communities affected by major projects like Polavaram.
